But really, aside from these nice side benefits, the whole thing is a boondoggle, at least it is for us.
Therapeutic Recreation involves a process, which uses recreation activities to habilitate or rehabilitate functional abilities, which contribute to behavioral change. The process involves assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
Therapeutic Riding is more than just sitting on a horse. The movements and shape of the horse allow tight, spastic muscles to relax to improve posture and balance. The horse can lend its strength and abilities to the rider. Therapeutic instruction improves eye/hand coordination, spatial relations, and an understanding of direction of varying complexity. Emotionally and socially, each student interacts with the horse and the many trained volunteers needed to run the program.