Nonprofit One Step Closer raises funds at wine-tasting
Published in the June 26 issue of Morgan Hill Life
By Staff Report
David Lichman works his horses at One Step Closer in Morgan Hill.
Photo by Marty Cheek
Five-star Parelli instructor David Lichman entertained about 100 guests during a wine-tasting reception to raise money for the One Step Closer Therapeutic Riding nonprofit organization on June 9.
The 2nd annual “Afternoon with Horses at Liberty!” event gave local South Valley residents a fun opportunity to learn more about the One Step Closer program and about the benefits of therapeutic riding.
Based in Sacramento, Lichman trains horses in the Parelli Natural Horsemanship program, a method to communicate with horses based on natural equine behaviors and thus achieve trust and respect in the horse-human relationship. Its methods are similar to how horses act with one another in a herd.
One Step Closer provides adoptive riding therapy for individuals with special needs, said Landa Kierstead, founder of the Morgan Hill-based nonprofit organization. Riding a horse helps people with various disabilities such as autism, bipolar disorder and spinal cord injuries, she said. Ages of One Step Closer clients range from young children to an 87-year-old individual.
“I was a horse lover as a kid,” she said. “My dad was in the service, and so, since the time I was 10, he was away quite a bit … he was secret service in the Air Force. And so horses were my refuge where I would go to when I needed some peace. And now I share it with others. I just care a lot about kids and want to help them in any way. I can with the tools I’ve been given.”
For more information visit www.osctr.org/
