Turpinators Visit and Help at Crossroads Work Day

Liberal, KS, April 2, 2017– Members of the “Turpinators”, Turpin’s 4-H Robotics Team participated in volunteer work day at Crossroads Therapeutic Riding Center. Crossroads Therapeutic Riding Center is a facility located east of Liberal, KS that has a mission to enhance the lives of individuals with disabilities through therapeutic horseback riding. Rena Cross, the director of Crossroads Therapeutic Riding Center has a work day every year before clients begin the new season. Members of the “Turpinators” team helped groom horses and clean stalls.  They also got to interact with some new horses and assess the horses’ readiness for clients. Crossroads is the subject of the Turpinators’ team project for the First Lego League Competition this year.  The students have been learning all about horse therapy and use of horses in patient rehabilitation. The Turpinators were given the assignment for the competition to identify a problem when people and animals interact; design a solution that makes interaction better for animals, people, or both; and then share the problem and solution with others. Earlier this year, Crossroads and the Turpinators met to learn more about the work at Riding Center, and to find a way to work together. There was a need for a new therapy tool, to replace and improve the design for poles used by the clients to play ring games on horseback to work stabilizing muscles, improve balance, and have an enjoyable experience for horse and rider while doing so.  The young robotics team applied their fledgling engineering training and experience to design a new pole for Crossroads, dubbed the “Cross Ring Toss”. The team members presented to her the new design at the work day and the new poles will begin use immediately. The Turpinators next plan is to finalize the design in blueprints and plans to be posted on the Crossroads website.  This will enable Mrs. Cross to help other horse therapy centers with an easily built design to help patients and entertain horses. The Turpinators will present their full plan as a part of their trip to the FIRST Lego League World Championship, April 26-29.