I volunteer at a therapeutic equestian center 3 times a week. The classes are geared toward children with developmental disabilities. They learn hand eye coordination and build body strength while riding the horses. It is a wonderful program.
I am generally in the barns cleaning stalls and watering horses or moving them from the barn to the pasture. Being there and working hard is therapeutic for me as well. It's a bit of a bonus. The horses do not even realize that just being around them makes me feel good and happy. There's nothing like a big horse kiss when you're frazzled about school or work, and they are always doing something goofy for a good laugh.
I highly recommend finding a therapeutic riding center to volunteer at. If barn work isn't your cup of tea, you can be a sidewalker or horse leader in the classes with the kids, that's great fun too.
Wow reading your post brought back great memories of summer out at a girl scout camp that I worked at. My favorite duty to be assigned was riding and working with the horses. It was hard work but so rewarding and so much fun!
ReplyDeleteYou are doing a great thing for the kids that it makes you feel good is a great bonus.
ReplyDeleteMy twin grandchildren both ride at the local equitherapy to help with physical/social and developmental disabilities. My granddaughter has CP and epilepsy and my grandson is on the high end of the autism spectrum. My 13 year old daughter will start volunteering this coming Monday as a sidewalker for my grandson; a job my husband does right now but his work hours will be changing soon and he will no longer able to to this. This a great thing for my family, those who are being helped and those who are helping out.
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