For my internship in Sports Psychology, I was able to fulfill it at Equistar Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Newfane, NY. There are other places with Therapeutic Horseback riding that also specialize in Special Olympics and Hippo Therapy. One of the well known places besides Equistar is located in East Aurora, and it is called Lothlorien Therapeutic Horseback Riding. Lothlorien is similar to Equistar Therapeutic Horseback Riding and both of the ranches work together.
Equistar is a therapeutic horseback riding, sport facility with the goal of working with people with disabilities; to work on their balance, hand and eye coordination, self-esteem and memorization. Equistar was a great learning experience for me as I was able to help with teaching the riders about topics such as the body parts of the horse, how to feed the horse, different skills, observe the classes and how each instructor taught their class. The classes included students ages starting from the age of five and up into the late twenties. Some of the students had diagnosis of autism, physical disabilities, as well as medical and mental health issues.
Each instructor taught their classes a bit differently using aids such as games, and the use of flash cards or puzzles of horses. These techniques were used to help with their memorization skills. The rider’s were asked questions like what color is the horse or what color is the puzzle.
Some of my first duties with the internship included me being an assistant for some classes the executive director wanted me to do. Duties for this part of the internship included doing warm-ups with the riders. Examples of the warm-ups are stretching with the arms up, out and down, twisting at the waist, touching the helmet with both hands and stretching forward to touch the mane of the horse. Also, teaching the students some games to help with their balance, eye and hand coordination, and helping the students with their speech was an important part of the classes. Another job I was responsible for was to make sure the volunteers were with their horse and helping their rider to the horse.
Working as an assistant I made sure the horses were ready for riding before the classes, checking to see if they had the right saddle, reins, and bridal for the proper student and class. It was necessary for the safety and security of the riders. With the classes, if it was an independent class, the riders would be riding using a western saddle. This meant we needed to have a western saddle, bridle, and reins, for that class. A western saddle is more for rodeos or working on a cattle ranch or as I told my students “cowboys and Indians,” used these saddles. The western saddle has a horn, pommel and right next to the horn, a seat, jockey and rear jockey stirrups and leather girth. For the next class, we needed to switch from the western saddle to English saddle. The English saddle is different because it does not have a horn like the western but it does have other similar parts like the pommel, then the seat, and jockey but it has a stirrup bar, and also a cantle near the seat. Of course it has a flap and the girth and the stirrups like the western saddle. The English saddle is used in England for foxhunting, and used in the Spanish School of riding in Austria.
Many of the riders couldn’t speak. They had a hard time processing because of their particular disability. For some I would need to use sign language to say walk on, trot, gallop, whoa, turn left and turn right. Then again, I was making sure, that the horses were ready and the correct volunteers were with their riders, or if the riders were going into the class room for the instructor to teach patterns, colors, about the horses and how to groom, care or feed them. As the assistant, I made sure that the riders had their helmets on properly and if they understood the instructor. Helmet checks consisted of making sure the strap for the helmet is tight. If the student did not understand, I would explain and show the instructions in a different way. Myself and the staff were there to help and guide: many times the students did not understand, so we would adapt the lesson for the student.
At Equistar, there were riders with autism, MS, Down’s syndrome, heart conditions, Emotional and mental health problems. Many of the riders have socialization problems. Some riders have a combination of disabilities and mental health disorders. When the class time was in session, there would be visual, audio and sign language as aids, because of how each rider may use their processing ability. Also, the same aids were used to give instructions for a pattern for riding or a game. As I observed class time, I wrote down practice plans based on what the instructors told me they were going to do have the riders do. Also, I created and assisted with ideas for games and riding patterns they played.
There was also the administrative part involved with the internship. With this, I attended a function to help promote Equistar and raise money so as to be able to keep one of the horses at the ranch. The function was a golf tournament held in Niagara County. My duties were to inform people about Equistar and their accomplishments; adapting the riding to the disability so a rider could learn, increase confidence, and socialize. It also is therapy helping with balance, eye and hand coordination. The other reason I went to this function was to let people see results; as I am a former rider, with medical problems, learning challenges, volunteer and now doing an internship. Therapeutic Riding really helped me with memorization, processing, balance and being more social, and confidant.
Later in the internship, I taught some of the class time with using a stuffed animal and showing the riders parts of the animals. Then I would have them point to the ears of the horse or the nose of the horse. This helped with recognition learning. Other class time, I would ask them what color their horse is or what is the name of their horse to help them with memorization. Then I would have them do warm ups. Since each individual had different disabilities, the volunteers would have to help them with the exercises. To help them with development of the core muscles they played games using plastic lacrosse sticks and plastic balls. By using the lacrosse sticks and holding the stick, the students were using the leg muscles, abdominal and arm muscles. This also helped with balance because of the way they had to hold the stick. I would show the riders visually what the pattern to do by weaving around the barrels or cones and then meet me or the instructor at the center of the arena.
During the class time in the outdoor or indoor arena, it was important to make sure that the riders were hydrated and taking breaks.
Working with children with disabilities takes a lot of patience and understanding. If a person has time to go through to adapt a sport and / or education to make it helpful for someone, then it’s the right job for them. However, if a person does not have that kind of patience then they should not do this job. With this job type, do take a lot of care to remember what their disability is, what medical problems they have and if they take any medication. With the internship, I have experienced cancelled classes because of the weather. It was not safe for the riders to come out or the horses to work because of heat. Other reasons a rider missed classes were due to having to go to the hospital with health problems, having tantrums because they did not want to come riding. This experience has helped me on a personal level, to know that I am not alone with a disability; there are others out there that can do therapeutic sports that can adapt to their disability.
Since I have an artificial leg, severe cardiac problems and severe learning problems, therapeutic sports was of great benefits; and look at me now, I participated with therapeutic sports from two different perspectives, one as a rider and one as an intern; learning how it work and how to keep the business alive. As the internship ended, Equistar has offered me a chance to help with their open house, working on pony rides, and being an assistant for the instructors. What an excellent internship I experienced with Equistar Therapeutic Horseback Riding.
Equistar is a therapeutic horseback riding, sport facility with the goal of working with people with disabilities; to work on their balance, hand and eye coordination, self-esteem and memorization. Equistar was a great learning experience for me as I was able to help with teaching the riders about topics such as the body parts of the horse, how to feed the horse, different skills, observe the classes and how each instructor taught their class. The classes included students ages starting from the age of five and up into the late twenties. Some of the students had diagnosis of autism, physical disabilities, as well as medical and mental health issues.
Each instructor taught their classes a bit differently using aids such as games, and the use of flash cards or puzzles of horses. These techniques were used to help with their memorization skills. The rider’s were asked questions like what color is the horse or what color is the puzzle.
Some of my first duties with the internship included me being an assistant for some classes the executive director wanted me to do. Duties for this part of the internship included doing warm-ups with the riders. Examples of the warm-ups are stretching with the arms up, out and down, twisting at the waist, touching the helmet with both hands and stretching forward to touch the mane of the horse. Also, teaching the students some games to help with their balance, eye and hand coordination, and helping the students with their speech was an important part of the classes. Another job I was responsible for was to make sure the volunteers were with their horse and helping their rider to the horse.
Working as an assistant I made sure the horses were ready for riding before the classes, checking to see if they had the right saddle, reins, and bridal for the proper student and class. It was necessary for the safety and security of the riders. With the classes, if it was an independent class, the riders would be riding using a western saddle. This meant we needed to have a western saddle, bridle, and reins, for that class. A western saddle is more for rodeos or working on a cattle ranch or as I told my students “cowboys and Indians,” used these saddles. The western saddle has a horn, pommel and right next to the horn, a seat, jockey and rear jockey stirrups and leather girth. For the next class, we needed to switch from the western saddle to English saddle. The English saddle is different because it does not have a horn like the western but it does have other similar parts like the pommel, then the seat, and jockey but it has a stirrup bar, and also a cantle near the seat. Of course it has a flap and the girth and the stirrups like the western saddle. The English saddle is used in England for foxhunting, and used in the Spanish School of riding in Austria.
Many of the riders couldn’t speak. They had a hard time processing because of their particular disability. For some I would need to use sign language to say walk on, trot, gallop, whoa, turn left and turn right. Then again, I was making sure, that the horses were ready and the correct volunteers were with their riders, or if the riders were going into the class room for the instructor to teach patterns, colors, about the horses and how to groom, care or feed them. As the assistant, I made sure that the riders had their helmets on properly and if they understood the instructor. Helmet checks consisted of making sure the strap for the helmet is tight. If the student did not understand, I would explain and show the instructions in a different way. Myself and the staff were there to help and guide: many times the students did not understand, so we would adapt the lesson for the student.
At Equistar, there were riders with autism, MS, Down’s syndrome, heart conditions, Emotional and mental health problems. Many of the riders have socialization problems. Some riders have a combination of disabilities and mental health disorders. When the class time was in session, there would be visual, audio and sign language as aids, because of how each rider may use their processing ability. Also, the same aids were used to give instructions for a pattern for riding or a game. As I observed class time, I wrote down practice plans based on what the instructors told me they were going to do have the riders do. Also, I created and assisted with ideas for games and riding patterns they played.
There was also the administrative part involved with the internship. With this, I attended a function to help promote Equistar and raise money so as to be able to keep one of the horses at the ranch. The function was a golf tournament held in Niagara County. My duties were to inform people about Equistar and their accomplishments; adapting the riding to the disability so a rider could learn, increase confidence, and socialize. It also is therapy helping with balance, eye and hand coordination. The other reason I went to this function was to let people see results; as I am a former rider, with medical problems, learning challenges, volunteer and now doing an internship. Therapeutic Riding really helped me with memorization, processing, balance and being more social, and confidant.
Later in the internship, I taught some of the class time with using a stuffed animal and showing the riders parts of the animals. Then I would have them point to the ears of the horse or the nose of the horse. This helped with recognition learning. Other class time, I would ask them what color their horse is or what is the name of their horse to help them with memorization. Then I would have them do warm ups. Since each individual had different disabilities, the volunteers would have to help them with the exercises. To help them with development of the core muscles they played games using plastic lacrosse sticks and plastic balls. By using the lacrosse sticks and holding the stick, the students were using the leg muscles, abdominal and arm muscles. This also helped with balance because of the way they had to hold the stick. I would show the riders visually what the pattern to do by weaving around the barrels or cones and then meet me or the instructor at the center of the arena.
During the class time in the outdoor or indoor arena, it was important to make sure that the riders were hydrated and taking breaks.
Working with children with disabilities takes a lot of patience and understanding. If a person has time to go through to adapt a sport and / or education to make it helpful for someone, then it’s the right job for them. However, if a person does not have that kind of patience then they should not do this job. With this job type, do take a lot of care to remember what their disability is, what medical problems they have and if they take any medication. With the internship, I have experienced cancelled classes because of the weather. It was not safe for the riders to come out or the horses to work because of heat. Other reasons a rider missed classes were due to having to go to the hospital with health problems, having tantrums because they did not want to come riding. This experience has helped me on a personal level, to know that I am not alone with a disability; there are others out there that can do therapeutic sports that can adapt to their disability.
Since I have an artificial leg, severe cardiac problems and severe learning problems, therapeutic sports was of great benefits; and look at me now, I participated with therapeutic sports from two different perspectives, one as a rider and one as an intern; learning how it work and how to keep the business alive. As the internship ended, Equistar has offered me a chance to help with their open house, working on pony rides, and being an assistant for the instructors. What an excellent internship I experienced with Equistar Therapeutic Horseback Riding.
