Healing with Horses **This program temporarily on hold**
New Therapeutic Riding Program at The Educational Farm
The Educational Farm at Joppa Hill is proud to announce that their exciting Pilot Therapeutic Riding Program is set to begin in April 2007. Located on the historic Joppa Hill farm in Bedford, the farm’s therapeutic riding programs will utilize the unique qualities of horses to help children and adults with disabilities overcome limitations, leaving wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and fears behind as they learn to ride. The horses (as therapists) awaken the vital senses of touch, smell, sound, and sight in their riders. The sense of accomplishment that comes with befriending, riding and maneuvering a 1,200-pound animal and the unconditional love readily given to the rider from the horse combine to create a strong medicine that turns doubt into confidence.
With each lesson the rider’s mental and physical capabilities grow stronger. They engage in social relationships and they have fun doing it! The Educational Farm is a place where our riders, young and old, can gain therapeutic benefits through lessons taught on the same horse each week to create a lifelong bond between rider and animal. There is also tremendous therapeutic benefit in the exposure to and interaction with the other farm animals, gardens, song birds and pastoral vistas that create a healing experience for caregivers and clients alike.
The goal of the Pilot Therapeutic Riding Program is to improve the bodies, minds and spirits of children and adults with disabilities through the use of the horse, farm environs, animals and gardens in therapy. The Farm will provide weekly therapeutic horseback riding classes that:
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Improve physical health
•Provide a sense of accomplishment and control
•Create a positive environment for learning
•Emphasize the capabilities of each rider
Offer the rider a chance to be outside in a stimulating farm environmentsurrounded by growing plants and beautiful fields,
•Promote interaction with friendly people and friendly animals
•Present caregivers the opportunity to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the farm and to enjoy the animals
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are a crucial component to any successful riding program. Prior horse experience is not necessary. Therapy is a hands-on experience! Three individuals will be needed to assist a riding instructor with a lesson. A leader will walk in front guiding the horse, while sidewalkers will be stationed on either side to ensure the safety of the rider with disabilities. Many clients also need the help of several volunteers simply to mount a horse from the ramp. Lessons are held weekdays from 8:00 am to 6 pm.
Volunteers must be at least 14-years old (those younger than 14 but with significant experience with horses will be considered on an individual basis). As continuity is key to the success of any therapy, volunteers need to available for 2 to 4 hours per week on a consistent basis. A riding session usually lasts one hour: 30 minutes is spent grooming and tacking the horse prior to riding. The other half hour entails vigorous walking beside a horse and spotting the rider. Prior horse experience is not necessary. The volunteer training covers disabilities awareness and horse and human safety.
