|
Home
|
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
|
Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Equine-assisted therapy activities offer physical, emotional, and social benefits. Therapeutic horseback riding opens up a new world of experiences to students of all ages. And, most importantly, the kids have a great time. Our “equine volunteers” are the unique facilitators of this therapy, and our volunteers help each child feel special, important and valued. But how does it work? |
||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||
| The rhythmic nature of the horse’s gait and the animal’s body heat provide therapy, helping to strengthen the rider’s muscle tone. Other physical benefits include improvements in balance, posture, coordination, reflexes, fine and gross motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. The repetition of various activities allows the rider to concentrate on their position while trying new activities. During the sessions, the children play games, weave through mazes and cones, and even go on treasure hunts…all on horseback! As the children interact with the horses, they develop respect and love for the animals. Because horses require a great deal of attention, the riders bond quickly with them as they groom, feed, and ride them. They develop responsibility, patience and compassion as they care for the horses. The excitement of riding brings new experiences and an overall sense of well-being. Winston Churchill once said, “The outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man.” The staff and volunteers at Lovesome Stables have found that adage to be true. The children build friendships and support and encourage one another as they discover the joys of riding. Their self-esteem and confidence soar as they conquer new challenges. Our farm offers the participants an emotional outlet to get away from their worries and just be kids! |
||||||||||||||
|
Lovesome Stables is a non-profit organization and is affiliated with North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). NARHA is a national regulatory agency that assists centers like Lovesome Stables with accreditation, instructor certification, safety guidelines and research.
All of our instructors are NARHA certified. Volunteers receive training from a certified instructor to ensure safety of the participants and other volunteers. |
||||||||||||||
|
Jody Keeley • 3240 Charter Oak Rd. • Edgewood KY 41017 • 859-653-7410
j e keeley at fuse.net (remove spaces, replace at with @) |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
 |
||||||||||||||
