PARK CITY — Six-year-old Noah Probst is usually a sunny little guy, but on this day his face was a study in concentration. Noah and three friends earnestly guided Tulip, a chestnut Arabian pony, around an indoor ring at a horse show sponsored by the National Ability Center.
Once finished, Noah was thrilled to have won some cool pins for his coat. The reason he likes to ride? "It's fun," he declares. Is he ever scared way up there on a horse? "No!" he replies.
Noah, who has a condition that poses eating and heart disease problems, was one of 53 riders participating in the center's horse show Saturday. Taking part were riders of every age — both with and without disabilities — who put their mounts through their paces during English and Western equestrian events. Riders also took part in a "horseback cake walk," a trail ride and an obstacle course.
Noah has been taking riding lessons at the center for the past year, along with his brothers Eli, 9, and Aaron, 3. Noah also has taken swimming lessons, and his mother says they plan to take skiing instruction sponsored by the center as well. "Our whole life revolves around the National Ability Center. They're so sweet," said Noah's mom, Diane Probst of Heber City. "Noah has made lots of friends here."
The center's 26-acre ranch outside Park City provides instruction and recreation for people of all ages with a variety of disabilities. Besides the ranch, the center runs its ski and snowboard program at the Park City Mountain Resort and has several satellite locations.
Participants are encouraged to include their friends and relatives so they won't feel isolated. Last year, the center served 6,200 people in 15,000 activities, according to its annual report.
Horseback riding is one of the most popular offerings, with nearly a third of center participants opting to ride. Center officials maintain that riding is good therapy for mentally and physically disabled people — besides the exercise and coordination that it develops, there also is a strong emotional bond that can spring up between horse and rider.
Another fan of the nonprofit center is Kathy Stott of Holladay, whose son, David, 7, also rode in the horse show and won a blue ribbon in the equitation English "walk-only" category.
David, who was cheerfully waving a water bottle in one hand and displaying his winning ribbon in the other, has a rare genetic kidney disorder that affects his body's ability to retain water. Among other things, it can cause erratic behavior. David, who could read at 2 1/2 and knew the entire world globe by age 3, also has been diagnosed as hyperlexic, which makes him prone to overstimulation.
His mother says the center has proved to be one of the best programs for David, with plenty of one-on-one instruction that gradually introduces him to new experiences in a setting he can handle. For example, after several lessons and lots of encouragement from his patient swimming instructor, David — who used to cling tightly to the young woman's neck — just recently mustered up the courage to jump into a pool. Kathy Stott also praised the center for being affordable, which is often a problem for families of children with disabilities.
She said the center has helped David gain strength, stamina and confidence, and it has offered opportunities for social interaction. "He also has gotten personal satisfaction. When other kids say, 'I'm going skiing,' he can say, 'I'm going skiing, too.'"
Her husband, Dennis, had job offers outside the Salt Lake City area, but the couple chose not to leave for many reasons — but the main thing holding them here is the center, she said. "I give it a triple-A rating."
E-mail: lindat@desnews.com