ROCK Spotlight: Meet Hattie

At ROCK, everyone has a story. Each one is unique, yet all are filled with dedication and strength—and Hattie is a perfect example.

Hattie, who is 8½ (we’ve been told the half is very important), has been riding with ROCK since she was four years old. Originally from Seattle, Hattie moved to Texas with her family just before her third birthday. She is the oldest sibling, with a four-year-old brother and a six-year-old sister.

After moving to Georgetown, Hattie’s mother, Betsy, added her to the ROCK waitlist. It took over a year for a spot to open, but Betsy shares a sentiment familiar at ROCK: “The only way to get off the waitlist is to get on it.”

When Hattie was born, she was diagnosed with Aicardi Syndrome, a rare condition that affects only girls, with approximately 4,000 reported cases worldwide. As a result, her corpus callosum—the part of the brain that connects the left and right sides—never developed. This condition causes seizures and affects both the brain and eyes. Hattie also has scoliosis, which presented additional challenges. According to Dr. Priscilla Lightsey, PT, Hattie’s physical therapist:

“Hattie has scoliosis and initially found it very difficult to hold her head or trunk upright by herself, requiring significant support from both side-walkers. After surgery to correct the curves, her head control improved, but due to her low muscle tone, it was still a challenge for her to keep her head up as the horse walked.”

Given Hattie’s low muscle tone, her progress after starting Equine-Assisted Services came as a surprise to Betsy. She recalls:

“After the sixth session, I went into her room the next day and she was sitting up in her bed. I was like, ‘What happened?’ I never thought she would gain that kind of strength. It was incredible. She got so good at it—she would go from lying down, pushing herself up, falling back down, and then pushing herself back up again.”

Along with physical improvements, Hattie also gained independence through her eye-gaze communication system, which allows her to communicate more effectively. By focusing on icons on a screen for two seconds, Hattie can express her thoughts and participate in conversations. Her spunky, sassy personality now shines through—especially at school. Betsy shares:

“She’ll even tell her brother to ‘bugger off’ now. Or when we’re in line at Costco, she’ll just keep repeating, ‘All done, all done, all done,’ which usually gets a few laughs.”

The ROCK team that works with Hattie is a close-knit group that looks forward to seeing her each week. Our Board President, Chris Miller, was a dedicated member of Hattie’s team until a schedule change made it difficult to continue. Not wanting to leave Hattie in just anyone’s hands, Chris asked her close friend Sherri Madden to step in as a permanent side-walker. Chris explains:

“Hattie’s schedule changed and I wasn’t able to continue during that time. Priscilla said, ‘You can only leave if you find your replacement!’ My dear friend Sherri had just started volunteering at ROCK and was looking for a permanent spot. She has a heart of gold, and I knew she would love Hattie and her family. It took some time to get used to a new side-walker, so I came for a few weeks to help train her—and sadly, I don’t think they miss me anymore.”

Dr. Priscilla Lightsey has nothing but praise for Hattie:

“It is a joy to work with Hattie and her family. Her beautiful blue eyes are very expressive, and her smile lights up the room—and the arena. Her mom says that her physical therapy treatment incorporating equine movement is one of the highlights of her week. Hattie works hard and has made significant progress. In the past, she could keep her head up for less than 10 seconds. Recently, she lifted her head upright and held it there for nearly a minute.

To increase body awareness and muscle strength, we ask Hattie to take her feet out of the stirrups one at a time. That request involves multiple steps: lifting her thigh, bending her knee, and pulling her foot out of the stirrup. Hattie has really connected with her team and responds well to her side-walkers. With encouragement—and sometimes a little help—she has been able to do just that. The skills Hattie continues to gain at ROCK are designed to help her become more independent and improve her overall quality of life. Because of her hard work, Hattie is now able to sit longer, stand better, and has even begun walking with support. Great job, Hattie!”

In Betsy’s words:

“Hattie doesn’t show people her sparkle if she knows they won’t believe in her. I’m so grateful to Priscilla and the team for believing in her.”

At ROCK, our mission is to improve independence and life skills in partnership with the horse. If you’d like to help us continue this mission—and support children like Hattie—please consider making a donation. We truly appreciate any level of support.