Today I had an orientation at the J. F. Shea Therapeutic Riding Center. We watched some videos about the program and they were so uplifting. I have to complete a few classes before I can actually start working with the kids and horses. I'm so excited because I get to share my love of horses with others while helping the disabled learn to ride. Have any of you ever volunteered at a therapeutic riding center?

oh my gosh!! that seriously sounds so cool!! ive never done it but i would LOVE to do it! i just wish there was a place some where close that i could do it!!

There's a few around where I live, but I think I've chosen the one that's farther from my house.

I've been volunteering at a therapeutic riding center for about a year now. Just this last Saturday, I volunteerd for their horse show. I spent 5 hours on Friday night bathing all six horses and braiding the manes and tails (hunter style) of 4 horses. I absolutely love volunteering there. I have my favorite child and therapy horse, actually pony,--Norman--a former "A" circuit hunter pony. I'm so big on him, but I take him over some fences when I exercise ride their horses. I usually lead the horses and sometimes sidewalk. I also organize the tack room and clean the saddles. I love it so much. You'll love it too.
The barn's site is:
www.mtrpinc.org Check it out!!

I'm thinking about being on the tack team, which gets the horses tacked up and untacked. I might want to be a leader or sidewalker later, but for now, I really want to work with the horses. I'm going to ask if I can exercise the horses after hours or something. The volunteer director said that some of the volunteers are only in it to get community service hours and once they get them, they don't come back, and I was like, "why wouldn't you love it." After my normal riding lessons, I always stay after a little bit to help the riders in the next lesson get their horses ready and love the horses that don't get to be ridden much. I'm really looking forward to starting.