Many people don't understand what we do at Cornerstone Therapeutic Horsemanship. They think we just put the kids on a horse and lead them around. Maybe they learn to ride a little. We are here to change lives!
A major concern of families is the lack of social skills that their children struggle with. They can struggle with communicating what they are feeling and expressing their emotions. Empathy can be a skill that is lacking in these youth. Working with horses provides a place for them to learn to express themselves. They brush them, hug them and pat them. We work on them developing a relationship with their horse. Our goal is for the youth to learn and practice the skills with a horse, develop a bond and then transfer those skills to other people in their lives.
Another area that our horses help with is the abilty to focus and follow directions. They are highly motivated to follow directions when working with the horses. The activities are fun and motivating which helps make following directions easier. We also work on targeted cogntive concepts, like crossing center line, using both sides of their bodies, incorporating academic skills and matching activities.
Did you know that acutal motion of riding a horse can help a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder? During horseback riding session,the horse provides a rhytmic movement which stimulates anterior, and posterior swinging movements. The movement helps improve the balance, posture and core strength of the riders. The horse also provides sensory and motor input. Some providers only do unmounted work. We believe in the power of both. If possible, we strive to include both mounted and unmounted work in our sessions.
We truly believe our horses are miracle makers! They are so much more than just a horse!
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