I used to volunteer at a therapeutic riding center but it has since shut down. There are others now and they are well staffed with paid personell as well as volunteers.
Riding is very therapeutic both physically and mentally. Riding a horse at a walk gently manipulates all of the muscles in a person's body, keeps the circulation going and also makes most everyone smile - both riders and handlers - it is quite wonderful to watch a person with physical disabilities, someone that hasn't been able to walk on their own for many years or perhaps since birth, get up on a horse and all of a sudden realize that they still are able to do something. And of course most horses involved in such programs are true gentle giants and tolerate very well the attention lavished upon them by all of their riders.
Last edited by Susan - horses; 12/16/09 11:14 PM.