News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

[Audio] Cassidy's Cause Offers Therapeutic Riding for Individuals with Disabilities

Cassidy's Cause is a therapeutic riding center, giving riding lessons to individuals with disabilities from cerebral palsy to downs syndrome to autism, ages 4 to 51. On Sounds Good, Tracy Ross speaks with Angie Falconite, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the organization about the Corvettes on the River fundraising event this weekend in Paducah.

  Cassidy's Cause started in 2014 with 16 riders and now serves approximately 50 riders each week. Falconite says there was a need to help individuals grow and develop self-esteem and trust. Dara Triplett is the mother of Cassidy, a 9-year old girl who passed away. She had a love for horses and her mother has a love for teaching, so this evolved into Cassidy's Cause. 

"It's pretty amazing to watch the bond between our riders and our horses... to see the interactions with them and to see the horse be so calm and gentle and loving and make our riders so comfortable and to love them regardless of what their disability is, is really amazing."

They have a strict criteria for horses, with good manners and a great foundation. All of their horses have been donated. 

The 14th Annual Corvettes on the River features over 200 Corvettes, judged in categories. This is the second year they've picked Cassidy's Cause as an organization in the region to support with donations raised. The event is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, free with donations accepted at the door. They raised $11,000 last year.

More about Cassidy's Cause

Tracy started working for WKMS in 1994 while attending Murray State University. After receiving his Bachelors and Masters degrees from MSU he was hired as Operations/Web/Sports Director in 2000. Tracy hosted All Things Considered from 2004-2012 and has served as host/producer of several music shows including Cafe Jazz, and Jazz Horizons. In 2001, Tracy revived Beyond The Edge, a legacy alternative music program that had been on hiatus for several years. Tracy was named Program Director in 2011 and created the midday music and conversation program Sounds Good in 2012 which he hosts Monday-Thursday. Tracy lives in Murray with his wife, son and daughter.
Matt Markgraf joined the WKMS team as a student in January 2007. He's served in a variety of roles over the years: as News Director March 2016-September 2019 and previously as the New Media & Promotions Coordinator beginning in 2011. Prior to that, he was a graduate and undergraduate assistant. He is currently the host of the international music show Imported on Sunday nights at 10 p.m.
Related Content