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riding a 1,000 pound animal; and building physical strength and balance, as well as the emotional intelligence needed to connect with their equine partners.
At our program, we offer group therapeutic riding lessons for Veterans recovering from physical, mental, and emotional trauma. At each lesson, before they ride, Veterans work with their horse on the ground in activities such as grooming, tacking, leading, or lunging, so they have an opportunity to connect with their horse before they get in the saddle.
Sessions are usually a mix of unmounted horsemanship and riding. Participants will first meet with their instructor and other classmates and learn about their assigned horse for that week‘s session. Each participant gets their own horse for the class. We try to keep a participant on the same horse for at least a few consecutive lessons, so the Veteran has a chance to get to know a horse’s personality and movement. Once the Veteran has groomed and tacked their equine partner in the barn area, they will move to the riding ring where most classes take place. Some classes may move to an open field for more of a challenge once the class has appropriate control and confidence for the change. Many