Equine Therapy Research Paper

Equine therapy first began in Europe with a woman named Lis Hartel, a polio survivor who refused to give up riding her horses. Hartel began to open her own equine therapy centers after she won the silver medal for dressage in the 1952 Olympics (Path International). Seventeen years after Hartel competed in the Olympics, the “North American Riding for the Handicapped Association” was formed and therapeutic riding centers spread across the world (Path International). Although at first, these equine therapy centers were strictly for patients with physical disabilities, it was soon discovered that those with mental and emotional disabilities could benefit from the equestrian therapy as well. This relatively new form of therapy becomes more popular …show more content…
Colleges want to see phenomenal grades on your transcript, but more importantly, they want to see how you have gotten along with the members of your community and what you were involved in outside of the classroom. Personally, I will be attending veterinary school at a college that has yet to be determined. Even though I do not know where I will attend college at Sauk Valley Community College, that does not matter because according to UC Davis Veterinary Medicine, if one intends on becoming a vet they must begin to develop animal handling skills in high school and then move on to volunteering at different animal associations in college (UC Davis Veterinary Medicine). Colleges recommend that future students begin volunteering early on in high school to develop new relationships with authority figures who would gladly acknowledge your character strengths when needed. In conclusion, WHOA can help its volunteers and staff by giving them the opportunity to earn letters of recommendation that could potentially get them into the school of their …show more content…
Volunteers at WHOA must be aware of their student's needs and we must stay alert to ensure the safety of the students, horses, and ourselves. The work is not easy, but the dedicated staff at WHOA is determined to give the students and their families an unforgettable experience every time they walk into the stables. Watching the child you are working with open up to you and the animal they are riding is like no other experience I have ever had. People who have struggled with socializing become close with their personal trainers through the comfort that the horse provides the student with. Knowing that you have helped someone begin to overcome an issue that they may have been struggling with for years, if not their entire life, is unmatched. Volunteers benefit from volunteer work as well according to HelpGuide.org, which suggests that volunteering helps reduce stress and relieve depression as well. Connecting with the many other kind volunteers at WHOA will give you the every day human contact that helps relieve stress and anxiety. In addition to reducing stress, WHOA also can “protect against depression” by giving volunteers constant human contact and by giving the volunteers a sense of pride in their work (Help Guide). Although research proves that all volunteer work can be beneficial to a volunteer, WHOA goes

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