Quarter Mile Farm's focus may be a surprise. Unbelievably, the horse is a marvelously therapeutic machine. At our farm, we use this to help the mentally challenged, developmentally delayed, and those with learning disabilities.
While the students are riding, we concentrate on the following:
- Improving balance and coordination
- Bonding between horse and rider (friendship)
- Building self-esteem
- Most important~HAVING FUN!
Horseback Riding is a wonderful therapy. The students do stretching, strengthening, and rotating exercises on horseback that they normally do in a therapy room. Most students dislike normal therapy, but on a horse, it doesn't seem like therapy at all. They are more willing to reach forward to touch the horse’s ears or twist around to reach the horse’s tail because they’re having fun. When you enjoy an activity, it doesn’t seem so much like work, and you try harder without even realizing it!
What a fun experience!
Therapeutic
riding is as much about building self-esteem as it is about the physical benefits.
This is true, also, for the volunteer or sponsor helping to be a part of this
evolving love affair between the student and the horse.
We need more volunteers and we have
a wish list. Check out how you can
help!