BOXFORD, Mass_ Over half a century ago, Marj Kittredge began teaching six disabled children with a Thoroughbred mare named Folly at her own Windrush Farm.
As one of the first riding instructors in the country to realize the benefits that horses and riding can bring to emotionally disturbed children, Marj is regarded as a pioneer in the field of therapeutic horseback riding. The program that began at her farm with six riders in 1964 now serves over 300 each year.
And while she stepped back about five years ago as the Program Director at Windrush Farm Therapeutic Equitation, Marj has not slowed down. She maintains an active schedule of clinics across the country and is a driving force behind the equestrian events at the Paralympic Games.
Marj grew up at Fort Riley, Kansas, where her father was stationed and learned to ride from the cavalry instructors there. The discipline and attention to detail she was taught in her early riding lessons stays with her.
"She is a very disciplined and traditional sort of rider," says Windrush's Program Director Mandy Hogan, who received instruction from Marj before she came on board as an instructor for the program. "She's a real stickler, she doesn't give out false praise."
Marj attended college at Vassar where she majored in zoology and minored in psychology and sociology. Her father instilled the belief in her that if you are privileged to have a good education, you should educate someone else. It was that philosophy that eventually lead her to her lifelong work teaching disabled and non-disabled riders.
Soon after she began teaching in 1964, Marj worked with other founders of therapeutic riding such as Lida McCowan at the Chef Center in Michigan, to form the North American Riding for the Handicapped Associated or NAHRA. Today, hundreds of programs across the country are accredited by NAHRA.
Marj's understanding of both horses and the disabled is evident to all that have met her.
"Marj is one of those very positive individuals who has a very clear understanding of how somebody's body should work," Hogan says. "She is a big promoter of exercises on the horse's back, and knows how a horse's body makes a persons body move."
In addition to her work teaching disabled riders, Marj taught regular lessons, a practice, which continues today at Windrush. One of her better known former students is Olympic bronze medallist Kerry Millikin. Marj believes that it helps keep the horses useful to be ridden and competed outside of their work as therapeutic riding horses.
"It's not good for a horse to be ridden slowly and incorrectly all the time. The horses in my program have always been ridden regularly by good riders to keep them well balanced and correct," she says. "There is no reason why a horse can't do everything and to this day these horses will teach handicapped riders during the week and at the weekend they will hunt, event or be used in Pony Club lessons and they love it."
Her founding horse, Folly, won the training level division at one of the first Fair Hill Horse Trials. Her current horse, a thoroughbred mare named Quadrille, can still be spotted with Marj soaring over the cross-country jumps at Windrush. Quadrille is also used for therapeutic riding.
In 1995, Marj began to dedicate the majority of her time to the International Paralympic Committee. Her first task was ensuring that the Paralympic games would take place following the Atlanta Olympics. She immediately took charge and set out for the American Horse Shows Association headquarters in New York, Hogan explains.
"She thinks nothing of putting together a luncheon in New York City," Hogan says.
What sets the Paralympic Games apart from the Special Olympics is that many of the riders competed successfully before an accident or sudden disability. Some have been born with a disability. They all compete in Dressage on borrowed horses, in levels from walk-only through walk, trot, canter and lateral work. In 1996, Marj received the status of International Judge for the Paralympics. Just last week, she headed for Sidney, Australia to assist with the operation of the 2000 Paralympic Games.
Through it all, it is her love of horses, riding and helping others that sustains Marj. She still rides almost daily when she is home and shows no signs of stopping.
"She claims that she's retired from foxhunting," explains Hogan. "But I don't think she'll ever quit riding."
