Getting Involved in Equine Therapy

Posted by Laura Thompson Nov 10, 2008

If you enjoy giving of your time and energy and love to work with horses, equine therapy might be the cause for you. Equine therapy can be effective for children and adults, the mentally handicapped and the physically disabled, regardless of the rider's experience with horses. This therapeutic activity has been used for generations to help overcome both physical and psychological obstacles.

There are numerous programs that involve equine therapy, and chances are there is at least one near your home. Some barns and stables offer equine therapy in addition to boarding, lessons and training, while other equestrian centers are dedicated solely to this non-profit work.

Horses are chosen for their dispositions. The animals must be gentle, slow, accommodating, bomb-proof and willing to walk in circles without any other stimulation. In addition to the horses, however, volunteers and paid employees are needed to facilitate these phenomenal programs.

I've worked with three separate equine therapy organizations, each of which was both a learning and spiritual experience. Nothing compares with watching a young child or enthusiastic adult connect with a horse for the first time, and in some cases, the students who take part in this activity only have horses to look forward to each week.

In one of the programs of which I was a member, most of the students were discipline problems at school or at-risk children from areas of high poverty. In some ways, that center was even more rewarding than working with the physically disabled. I watched the kids learn what it's like to care about something--really care--and to turn around their attitudes so they could continue to participate.

Volunteers perform a number of duties in equine therapy. Younger students who are interested in volunteering (usually under 15) can be "gophers", which means that they run around the arena during lessons to get whatever the instructors need.

Older volunteers can be leaders and sidewalkers, working directly with the horses and students.

If you are interested in working with an equine therapy program, you can search for one near you on the Internet or you can contact me, and I'll be happy to find a location where you can volunteer.