One of our equine professionals developed and conducted the Hands on Horses program for two years as a member of the Little Creek Farm Conservancy.  The Conservancy has turned over the program to Stride Ahead.  The program provides experiences that stimulate new cognitive and emotional functions. 

The program provides enrichment experience for inner-city youth, elderly, mentally handicapped, and other disadvantaged individuals. 

For two years Hands On Horses provided day programs for:

1. The DeKalb Community Service Board's CHOICE program of community based day habilitation for individuals with developmental disabilities
   

2. Elderly from A.G. Rhodes Home
   

3. Transitional housing customers including Jerusalem House and Nicholas House
   

4. DeKalb Schools’ special needs students
   

5. Foster children in Dekalb County
   

Activities

 This 2-3 hour program is designed to give visitors a chance to learn about and interact with horses.  For city dwellers it offers a rare chance to experience a farm setting and connect with nature and large animals.  For all visitors it provides a context for understanding their own emotional reactions and motivations.

Safety Conversation 

The Stride Ahead volunteer gives a brief talk about the psychological nature of the horse as an prey animal.  This creates a foundation for understanding how to behave safely around horses, as well as the basis for emotion/cognitive insights.

Tour Of The Facility

Explore the sights, sounds and smells of the farm, including the barn and observation of herd behavior out in the pasture.  Give a brief lecture on the history of the farm that was a civil war camp for union soldiers.  The visitors are thus grounded in their physical surroundings, understanding its present and past.

Handling a Horse

The Stride Ahead volunteer introduces the visitors to the horse, guiding them in how to touch the horse safely.  Depending on the age and abilities of the visitors, a lesson in how to lead a horse is included here.

 

Observation

A rider will demonstrate the different gaits of a horse while ridden.  The rhythm of hoof beat is different at each gait.  Explain how a rider communicates to the horse.

Art Project

The visitors are encouraged to create a horse oriented art project to take home.  Usually they paint and decorate a prepared horseshoe.

Standards

This program is conducted by volunteers who are trained by the NARHA and EAGALA certified equine professionals. 

Please write to learn about your customers participate in

Hands on Horses.

Anne Preston

HandsOnHourses@StrideAhead.org