Mitey riders

On a country road near Charlotte, North Carolina is a prime piece of land that many developers would love to buy.

But it’s home to a very special horse ranch that does very special work that no amount of money could buy.

These kind of funny moments with profoundly disabled children might surprise some of you.

But today might be the best day of the week for these kids.

Children with challenges most of us can’t even imagine are visiting some of the largest and hairiest therapists on earth.

One by one each child settles in and workers guide them out for a ride.

The program is called Mitey Riders and if you ask horse ranch owner Harry swimmer what happens between these kids and their big hairy therapists, he says it’s nothing short of astonishing.

“Came here with no words whatsoever and he’s talking now,“ said Swimmer.

Children who can’t speak start talking, and those with no muscular ability to keep their balance, they learn to from the horses.

“The fact of the matter is they gain a lot from the movement of the horse,“ said Swimmer.

Something happens inside these children when they interact with horses.

It touches something deep.

It flips a switch that humans can’t reach.

“Christopher was diagnosed with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy,“ said Chris’s Grandmother Stephany Gaddy.

Chris’s Grandma says you have to give these kids a shot at as many normal life experiences as possible.

“Just the fact that he gets to sit on one and get to ride and the fact that he likes to boss Harry and Joy around,“ said Gaddy.

“The letters I get and what I hear from the parents about how these kids can’t wait to get here for the next class. It’s absolutely unbelievable,“ said Swimmer.

Ranch owner Harry Swimmer, an insurance salesman his entire life says until you’ve seen this, been a part of it, you’ll never understand the joy.

“Yes we’ve done a lot for these kids but I promise you these kids have done more for me than I could ever do for them. They’ve fulfilled my life,“ explained Swimmer.