Tall in the saddle | Northwest – Lewiston Morning Tribune

His name is Noah, but he doesnt have an ark.

Instead, Noah Rodgers carries his favorite beasts in a vessel with an even bigger capacity: his heart. And one animal in particular, the horse, gives the autistic Lewiston 15-year-old respite from the flood of stimuli that can scuttle his thoughts.

There are very few areas in Noahs life where he knows more than other people do, mom Suzanne Rodgers-Johnson said. But when it comes to horses or insects or reptiles he knows more than a lot of adults.

Noah was diagnosed with autism at the age of 5, but has faced developmental challenges since birth. He lives with a disorder called 18p deletion syndrome, where a piece of his 18th chromosome is missing. He only has one kidney, and has been through several operations, including brain surgery.

And for his first nine years, Rodgers-Johnson practically bubble-wrapped Noah, terrified of how the world could harm her son. But then came their first encounter with horse therapy, often called equine therapy or hippotherapy, which can help with coordination, balance and strength. It can also build confidence. For Noah, it changed everything.

His first ride came six years ago during Operation Challenge, an annual event organized by the Nez Perce County Sheriffs Mounted Posse for disabled kids and adults at the Lewiston Roundup Grounds. Johnson said that despite the expert handlers and copious safety gear, she was gripped with fear over the prospect of putting Noah on the back of a 1,000-pound animal. Noah, however, was transformed.

He had no fear the very first time he rode, she recalled. There was no hesitation. As soon as he saw the horse, he wanted to get on the horse. And he was fine. I was not fine, but he loved it and we (she and husband Brandon Rodgers) decided that we needed to get him into this.

As anyone who has spent time around horses can attest, they are sensitive animals. Humans have kept horses since antiquity for utilitarian reasons, but also for the companionship they provide. And according to the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, or PATH, equine therapy offers physical, emotional and mental benefits.

Riding a horse moves the riders body in a manner similar to a human gait, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, balance and muscle strength, the association states on its website. For individuals with emotional challenges, the unique relationship formed with the horse can lead to increased confidence, patience and self-esteem.

And for Noah, it has been one of the few remaining outlets available during the pandemic.

Because of his immune system, which is compromised due to his disability, his world really, really shrank, Rodgers-Johnson said. But we felt safe with horse therapy. It really is one of the things that helps us make sure that he doesnt regress during the quarantine-COVID situation were in.

After his breakthrough experience with the mounted posse, Noah took up regular therapy sessions with a local provider. But she stopped living in the area full-time when her husband retired a couple of years ago, so Rodgers-Johnson went shopping for someone else. She found Jessi Jeans Equine Services near Juliaetta, and Noah has been attending regular riding sessions ever since.

He goes about twice per week, with grandparents Bill and Cheryl Johnson taking him for one session and a therapist taking him for the other on owner Jessi Guinns 800-acre ranch on Little Potlatch Creek. And even though the spread includes more than 7 miles of riding trails, Noah sticks to the barn with its shade and fans since he is heat-sensitive.

Guinn said laps around the small arena is the safest option for Noah right now, but she dreams of him one day taking the reins for a trot around the countryside. And Bill Johnson said that is a distinct possibility with the skill and care Guinn brings to her operation.

With these people, I really think he might be able to do that, he said, noting the change he sees when Noah mounts up. I can almost see him sink back and relax, and then I can relax watching him.

Noah was fairly quiet during a ride last week atop Pace, a 10-year-old flea-bitten gray quarter horse. But he did make occasional declarations, expounding on his knowledge and experiences with various bugs and animals. Pace was clearly comfortable with his rider, talkative or not. As Guinn led the pair in lazy circles, she pointed out that the powerful horse walked so gently with Noah aboard that he drug his rear hooves through the dirt.

Rodgers-Johnson said Noah bends over backward to not play favorites with the different horses he rides, or anything else for that matter. But there is a special place in his heart for Pace, a barrel-racing horse that went through eight jockeys before Guinn acquired him.

Nobody ever clicked with him, Guinn said. But we ended up buying him, and hes amazing. Hes found his forever home. He will never leave.

As a testament to that big heart, Noah loves to tell the story of Paces tough life before finding Guinn. And Bill Johnson pointed out that he also loves sharing the tale of Ginger, the abused horse in the 19th-century novel Black Beauty.

While the benefits of equine therapy have been established for decades, it can be expensive. The overhead for keeping such large animals can be quite steep, so providers have to charge enough to keep their operations afloat. But Susan Stumph, program manager for childrens developmental disabilities in the Idaho Department of Health and Welfares Division of Family and Community Services, said such therapy can be reimbursed through Medicaid.

And even families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but still cant afford equine therapy can access the Medicaid benefits through the departments Katie Beckett Program. To be eligible, kids must have a significant developmental disability diagnosis, such as autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, developmental delays in children younger than 5 or a similar condition, Stumph said.

There also has to be an official determination of limitations to life activities in three or more areas, such as self-care, language or mobility. Once qualified, the family is assigned a budget and chooses how to spend the money. That can be through a more traditional local agent, or a family directed alternative where they choose different supports or therapies that arent available through the Medicaid state plan.

But even then, the family cant just head to the nearest equine therapy provider and sign up. First, they have to show there will be a legitimate benefit through a recommendation from a physician or an occupational therapist.

There has to be a documented need that this therapy will help the child live a more full and inclusive life, Stumph said, noting that therapists also have to be PATH-certified to be eligible for the state payments.

Those who want to apply may navigate to the departments developmentally disabled childrens services webpage or call (877) 333-9681. Of the more than 4,700 children getting developmentally disabled services in Idaho, about 200 get their equine therapy paid for through the family-directed pathway.

Guinn has taken PATH courses, but cant take payment through Medicaid since she isnt certified. Another local provider is, however. Amy Kelley of Kelley Kids Ranch in Lewiston is also a licensed clinical social worker with a lifelong background in horses and 4-H. She believes combining her clinical and equine backgrounds provides the best of both worlds to her clients.

Horses teach kids to be healthy, Kelley said. They just learn so much, from regulating their emotions to overcoming stresses.

Kelley also works with children and adults who have issues with mental health, substance abuse and traumatic experiences. Shes seen scores of damaged kids make huge strides when they start working with horses.

You can just watch the brain heal from equine therapy, she said. Its an incredible way of resolving trauma. This has been a lifesaver for a lot of my kids. The horses get it. They snuggle into those kids and love them.

The ranch has a horse to suit any rider, including a 30-inch miniature horse, a draft horse with a low back that makes it easier to mount, a pony and a full-size quarter horse. And as far as she knows, Kelley is the only person in the area who is able to accept regular insurance for therapy sessions since it is classified as behavioral health. Clients just need an official diagnosis and to have a treatment plan that includes equine therapy, she said. More information is available at amy@kelleykidsranch.com.

Rodgers-Johnson is the CEO for Twin County United Way, and her husband is a full-time teacher, so they are able to afford Noahs sessions out of pocket. But shes also the co-founder of the Green Apple Project that provides autism support, education and awareness to the area. So with that service-oriented mindset, she wants more people to have the same opportunities to progress that Noah found.

Horse therapy is real, she said. I am passionate about all kids with disabilities having access to this, and I feel like insurance should cover it.

I want him to lead us

Ultimately, Rodgers-Johnson is most gratified by the doors opened for her son by that first ride six years ago. She concedes that when she got caught up in the fear of letting go, even just a little, she coddled him too much.

I wanted his life to be easy, and I wanted to do everything in my power to make it that way, she said. But thats not life, and thats not living. I dont want to be the one that holds him back. I want him to lead us.

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Tall in the saddle | Northwest - Lewiston Morning Tribune