Friends of Leaps and Bounds

Read below to hear from Kimberly Kinsey, Controller of Financial Reporting at Lewis since 2017, and her experience with Friends of Leaps and Bounds (FOLB), a non-profit organization dedicated to serving people with disabilities through equine services.

How are you connected to Friends of Leaps and Bounds?

Kimberly: My brother, Kevin Butscher, found the Friends of Leaps and Bounds (FOLB) organization for his exceptional needs daughter, Emily. She is a teenager with autism and Developmental Coordination Disorder. Emily enjoys visiting Leaps each week, a magical place full of acceptance and love for kids and adults of all abilities. She is currently part of the adaptive riding program. Her confidence and strength have been bolstered by her amazing instructor. Once Emily gets on her horse, she is immediately relaxed and in a fun mood – singing and dancing on the horse! Emily does not have many safe places, but at Leaps she can cut loose and be herself! Additionally, Maddy, Emily’s neurotypical younger sister, has attended the horse camps offered by Friends of Leaps and Bounds several times a year.

What problem does the program solve?

Kimberly: The Friends of Leaps and Bounds organization serves people with disabilities through the magic of the horse! In partnership with Leaps & Bounds Pediatric Therapy, they strive to help their clients reach their maximum potential and believe in treating the whole family. They serve individuals from all over the Inland Empire (and beyond) who are at risk for, or who have difficulty participating in typical, age-appropriate activities. The highly skilled staff specializes in pediatrics but can assist all individuals with their therapeutic and recreational needs. They are an organization aimed at helping all individuals grow by leaps and bounds! Using the horse as a tool for physical, occupational, and speech therapy, called hippotherapy, is not covered by insurance. The Friends of Leaps and Bounds non-profit covers the cost of the hippotherapy.

What are the benefits of horse therapy?

Kimberly: The horse’s walk provides sensory input through movement, which is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive. The resultant movement responses in the patient are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. The variability of the horse’s gait enables the therapist to grade the degree of sensory input to the patient, and then utilize this movement in combination with other treatment strategies to achieve desired results. Helps children sit, stand, walk, balance, and move more independently along with having fun.

What impact have they made in your life, and/or the surrounding community?

Kimberly: My older daughter Alyssa volunteered at Leaps and Bounds during the pandemic as a sidewalker for the hippotherapy sessions. She wrote her senior high school project on the impact of various therapies on children with cerebral palsy. She is currently a junior at the University of La Verne majoring in kinesiology with plans to go to graduate school to get her doctorate in physical therapy. She was able to witness the impact of the hippotherapy program on children of all ages along with helping with the horse camp.

In 2023, a total of 7,056 sessions were conducted using the horse, consisting of 3,714 hippotherapy and 3,342 adaptive riding sessions.
We estimate that the cost of a session exceeds $400, while insurance typically covers about $91.
FOLB takes care of a herd of 17 horses, 2 campuses, and approximately 20 staff members.
The number of children with disabilities in the US is 1 in 6, and is on the rise according to the Centers for Disease Control.

With so many great organizations to support, why choose Friends of Leaps and Bounds?

Kimberly: Exceptional needs kids do not have a lot of options and the cost of hippotherapy is prohibitive to many families. FOLB relieves the financial burden from the families and provides an outlet where the kids look forward to therapy. Once a child completes hippotherapy, they have the ability to move to adaptive riding, which is a fantastic way for social interaction and a sport that is not typically offered to exceptional needs children.

Is there an achievement you’re most proud of?

Kimberly: My brother, Kevin Butscher is the current Chairman of the Board, and I am currently on the board serving as the treasurer.

On April 6th, Friends of Leaps and Bounds will host their Saddle Up event, the organization’s main fundraising event. It is a wonderful night of dressing up in derby style, enjoying a delicious dinner, heartwarming presentations, and dancing under the stars.

You can support Friends of Leaps and Bounds directly by donating here.

Rosie Lewis

Rosie Lewis is the Corporate Marketing Manager at The Lewis Group of Companies. Rosie is a Claremont native who enjoys hiking, yoga, and developing her green thumb.