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| Last updated on April 22, 2008 |
To improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities through therapeutic riding activities
Description:
Therapeutic horseback riding differs from traditional therapy in the sense that it offers physical activity combined with the development of a skill. With this skill the students can:
- share their talent with family and friends
- experience the excitement and fun of competition
- enjoy the learning process
- build self-confidence
- improve concentration and attention span
- learn memory and sequencing abilities
- progress in speech
- gain social skills
Riding therapy involves living, breathing animals. So students enjoy the well-documented benefits of pet therapy, including improved socialization, increased compassion and responsibility, and better communication. Each hard-working therapy horse is carefully selected for the individual rider.
Riding is dynamic. The three-dimensional movement of the horse helps to:
- improve posture and balance
- improve spatial orientation and body awareness
- increase circulation
- relax rigid muscles
- stimulate natural hip movement and development in the non-ambulatory
- tone and strengthen muscles
- improve coordination
- improve fine and gross motor skills
History:
Courage Reins was founded in 1998 "to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities, by providing a safe, fun and challenging environment where physical, cognitive, social, and emotional growth could occur through therapeutic riding and other equine based activities." We were incorporated the same year as 501(c), not-for-profit business.
The organization began in a rented facility with borrowed horses and equipment. There was one paid staff member and a handful of local volunteers. The vision and commitment of our founders not only sustained them during that time, but created excitement about what was happening, convincing people that this was a worthwhile project for people with disabilities in their communities.
The President of the Board of Trustees, Sterling Gardner, became involved at this time. He had seen a local news story and was touched by the images of children with disabilities grinning from ear to ear as they strengthened their bodies, minds, and spirits astride these gentle horses. Since becoming involved, Sterling has purchased a beautiful new facility that the program can call home.
Contact people:
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Vicki Armstrong, Executive Director, (801) 362-0082, (email)
Bekka Olds, Barn Mgr/Volunteer Coord., (801) 756-8900, (email) |
TDD number: Dial 7-1-1 for Relay UtahLanguages Spoken: English
Address:
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5870 West 10400 North
Highland, UT 84003
(See a map) |
Web Site: None specified
Miscellaneous Information
| Services |
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- Therapeutic horseback riding
- Occupational therapy
- Equine assisted psychotherapy
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| Funding |
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Corporations, foundations, private donations, subsidized user fee
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| Affliations |
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NARHA
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User Reflections
Post Your Own!
Overall Experience 
Horses, People, and Myself
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I learned to appreciate the beauty and grace of a horse. I learned to work with the horse and student. I had the opportunity to work with people and make new friends. In addition to learning about horses and various disabilities, I learned more about myself.
posted on March 16, 2005 |
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