Jersey Shore girl qualifies for Pennsylvania National Horse Show
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JERSEY SHORE -- Piper Harmon, 12, of Jersey Shore, qualified for the ninth annual LifeVac Therapeutic Riding Championships.
The championship competition is scheduled to take place on Foundation Friday, Oct. 18, during the Pennsylvania National Horse Show at the PA Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.
Harmon was diagnosed with Citrullinemia, a rare metabolic disease, when she was just four days old. Because of the disease, her liver didn't produce an enzyme to correctly break down proteins. As a result, any time anything with protein was consumed, ammonia would build up in her body instead of breaking down and being excreted through urine.
Sometimes this condition can be managed through diet and medication, but the medical team at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was not able to manage her condition with this approach.
Despite their best efforts, ammonia continued to build up in her tiny body, essentially poisoning her.
At the age of six months old she received a donor liver, saving her life.
"Piper had two transplants, unfortunately the first liver had some underlying issues that were missed during allocation, but that liver wasn't wasted," her mother, Sarah Harmon said. "It gave her more time for another to be found."
Only 13 days later she would receive a second, life-saving transplant.
"You could tell immediately that she was feeling better. When they removed the breathing tube, she was instantly all smiles," Sarah said.
The transplant effectively cured her liver disease; it unfortunately left her with some lasting effects.
The lethal levels of ammonia in her body caused damage to her brain which resulted in developmental and cognitive disabilities.
"She struggles with some normal daily activities and a LOT of patience is needed, as well as some creative thinking to help her understand things," her mother said.
Despite the struggles, she is a healthy, happy, active young girl.
Harmon started therapeutic riding in 2020.
For people with disabilities, riding horses has been shown to improve balance, muscle tone, coordination and motor control. Since she started riding, Harmon has also become more confident in herself, not just with riding but in every aspect of her life.
Her 4-H leader and riding mentor Sarina Bower said, "When I first met Piper three years ago she was a tiny, shy, little girl that had a hard time even sitting up in the saddle. We started working together a little bit here and there and before we knew it we had become a team. Sometimes it is a challenge to figure out a way to explain something in a way that she can understand, but we keep trying until we find something that works."
The two show together in the Equestrians with Disabilities division for 4-H and have gone to the PA State 4-H Horse Show the past two years.
"I'm so fortunate that her mom trusts me to put her on an 800 pound pony and take her in the show ring," said Bower.
"I never thought we would make it to this point. Back when she was a baby, it was all day to day thinking. I was just happy my child was alive and able to experience life as a healthy child," Harmon's mom replied.
Now that child is able to trot her pony, Bella, around the arena on her own, with smiles all around.
"Because she has been so successful with riding, I suggested we try to qualify for the Pennsylvania National Horse Show in Harrisburg. It's a big, fancy show and in addition to the top tier riders, they also support those with disabilities and give them their time to shine," said Bower.
There are four different qualifying shows in Pennsylvania that therapeutic riders can attend to try to qualify for the championships.
The team attended a qualifying show at Walnut Grove Farm in Dover, Pa., on May 25 where Harmon took first place in her division that included nine riders.
This placing secured her a spot at the National Show.
"When the first place was announced I was just so excited for her and her mom," Bower said.