Mission Statement
The foundation of Boots and Saddles TRC is dedicated to teaching life skills to persons with physical, developmental, and cognitive needs through the use of equine assisted activities and therapies. All students are taught these skills in an inclusive setting where each student strives toward meeting their individual goals. These goals are reached with the support of our dedicated instructors, therapists, peers, family, and volunteers.
Description
Why the Horse?
The horse's walk provides sensory input through movement, which is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive. The resultant movement responses in the patient are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. The horse provides a dynamic base of support, making it an excellent tool for increasing trunk strength, and endurance, weight bearing, balance, building overall postural control and improving motor planning. The variability of the horse's gait enables the therapist to grade the degree of sensory and motor input to the patient, and then utilize this movement in combination with other treatment strategies to achieve desired results. Patients respond enthusiastically to this enjoyable experience in a natural setting.
What is Therapeutic riding? Therapeutic horseback riding is an emerging field that uses equine-assisted activities for the purpose of contributing positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well being of people with disabilities.
Equine Assisted Activities are performed by a therapeutic-riding instructor and uses equine-oriented activities for the purpose of contributing to the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well being of people with disabilities.
Hippotherapy is performed by a physical, occupational, or speech therapist. The therapist uses the horse, as a "treatment tool", by utilizing the equine movements as part of an integrated intervention program to achieve functional outcomes.
