SHAFTSBURY, Vt. (WCAX) - Horseback riding is one of the leading causes of sport-related traumatic brain injuries, but some people also use it to heal from them.At Kimberly Farms in Shaftsbury, Valerie Shemeth is helping people overcome life-altering injuries.“We’ve had a number of people come to us after brain injuries and utilize the riding. The thought that they’re controlling a 1,000-pound horse is very empowering,” Shemeth said.She runs a horse tending and riding program that she says helps people with physical and mental illnesses. One of her clients was a professional racer who was crushed by a horse on the racetrack. “She was in a coma for a long time. When she started coming out of her coma and getting back on her horse, most people were a nervous wreck to see her do it,” Shemeth said.Research shows almost half of equestrian riders experience concussions during their careers but most of those riders return to the sport. Shemeth says the connection to the animals and the experience of riding is too empowering to quit. “But once she got on the horse, it was like her whole world changed,” Shemeth said.University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine researcher Dr. Kalev Freeman says animals can provide social support, structure, and stress relief. “Having emotional connections, personal time together, and support from pets can be a powerful type of therapy for any medical problem and in particular for head injuries,” Freeman said.Karlene Sausville works at the farm with Shemeth. She says her relationship with the horses is one of the central ways she copes with her mental illness. “I have really bad anxiety and every time I come to work and I’m around these lovely horses -- including Midi and Tilly -- my anxiety goes away,” Sausville said.Studies show that equine-assisted therapies can improve balance, well-being, quality of life, trust, self-esteem, and a sense of accomplishment. As dangerous as the sport is for riders, for equestrians like Sausville, the benefits out race the risk.The safest way to ride a horse is with people you can trust, by wearing a helmet and using proper hand positioning.