Theft of Saddles May Put End to Riders’ Dreams : Crime: Children’s equipment for Special Olympics is taken.

Seven specially made saddles for disabled children have been stolen from a stable at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station, leaving the youngsters with nothing to ride on as they prepare for this month’s annual statewide Special Olympics, authorities said Wednesday.

About 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, a volunteer for the American Riding Club for Handicapped Children arrived at El Toro to find the door to a metal storage shed ajar and the saddles gone, said Cpl. Patrick K. Wade, a base spokesman. A lock on the shed had last been checked by club volunteers about 4:30 p.m. the previous day, Wade said.

The burglary left volunteers scrambling for replacement saddles from friends so that club members could participate Tuesday in Huntington Beach’s Fourth of July parade, said Saskia Knight, a volunteer for the club.

Several disabled children who were slated to compete in equestrian events in a Special Olympics in Ventura on July 15 and 16 will be without adequate equipment unless replacements are found, Knight said. The saddles, girths and saddle pads taken were valued in all at nearly $10,000.

“If we don’t find the equipment, or something, [the children] won’t be able to compete,” Knight said. “They’ve been preparing for this all year long. And to have something like this come along, it’s so devastating. We don’t quite know what we’re going to do.”

The youngsters, many of whom have multiple sclerosis, need the special saddles because they are deeper than the typical saddle, providing more support and balance. Without them, the children couldn’t compete as effectively, Knight said.

The saddles are marked with the club’s logo, ARCH, on the undersides. Club volunteers have notified area pawn shops, equestrian supply dealerships and other businesses where the thief or thieves might try to sell the equipment, Knight said.

“We just want to get our saddles back, for the children’s sake,” she said.