This is such a simple game I forgot about it, so I want to remind everyone that it exists! Simon Says Yesterday I had a rider who was very nervous about riding her new horse. Playing Simon Says helped redirected her focus from being fearful to being present, focusing on what she was doing and paying attention … Continue reading
List of Games for Therapeutic Riding
This is a great list of games from a recent new resource I found. Enjoy! Ball toss Game: place targets on the ground with different numbers. Riders are given balls, which they may toss at the targets, while halted or walking, must be 5 feet away. Scores can be totaled for individual riders or teams. … Continue reading
The Horse’s Movement and Therapeutic Riding
I still feel like the horse’s movement and it’s use in therapeutic riding is a mystery to me beyond the basics. Here are the notes I have collected about it so far. If you have anything to add, or any resources to recommend, please let me know!!! HORSE’S MOVEMENT AND THERAPEUTIC RIDING “The motion of … Continue reading
The Lesson Plan – Detailed
This is an extended version of The Lesson Plan – Basic. Long time followers may recognize this, as they all used to be lumped together, but I’ve split them up! Now the Basic version is just the template, and the Detailed version has the explanation. Enjoy! In the beginning I was really confused about lesson planning. … Continue reading
Teaching Competitive Game Skills
A reader recently wrote me asking if I had any games that might be used to help her rider with autism who has a hard time losing sports games, to the extent it takes him several days to recover, and says he hates everything, that his horse is bad, and that he is bad. While I … Continue reading
Saddle Parts Game
Here’s something super easy I made quickly before today’s lesson: The Saddle Parts Game Prep: Print and cut out a picture of a saddle (cardstock works best) Print and cut out words of saddle parts Laminate them and cut them out Hot glue the words to clothespins (Or if you have wood clothespins just write … Continue reading
Volunteer Management
When you first start teaching, it’s easy to fixate on your rider and forget the rest of the world. However, often your volunteers need just as much feedback and praise – if not more! So here are some notes on basic volunteer management. VOLUNTEER MANAGEMENT The role of a TRI isn’t just teaching the rider, … Continue reading
Example Rider: ASD & Low Self Confidence
An instructor I know has agreed to share a really neat story about working with a rider who has ASD and low self confidence. I hope that by sharing this, you all can see how therapeutic riding can be used to improve quality of life and reach life goals, and give you some ideas for working … Continue reading
Newborn horses give clues to autism
This is a greatly interesting article. Go Alma Mater! Newborn horses give clues to autism Story by Pat Bailey, video and photos by Joe Proudman Read how UC Davis researchers believe solutions for newborn horses may be linked to helping newborn humans. Click here to read the story, or go here: http://ucdavis.edu/ucdavis-today/2015/february/03-foals.html **************** Note: This … Continue reading
Note Sheet for Observing a Lesson
This is a follow up to the post “Watching a Therapeutic Riding Lesson“. In that post I described what to look for when you observe a lesson. Now I am giving you a hand out to use for taking notes. It is especially helpful for Instructors in Training as they learn what to look for … Continue reading