Quantum Leap Farm, Inc.

Benefits of Therapeutic Riding . . . Therapeutic riding offers various benefits to adults with mental or physical disabilities. These benefits are physical, psychological, and social in nature.


	A sizeable component of physical aging is known to be the cumulative effects of lifestyle choices and unfortunately, many adults with disabilities lead sedentary lives. Furthermore, the ability to live independently depends largely on a person's degree of mobility, and sedentary lifestyles contribute to mobility disability. Therapeutic horseback riding improves the strength, tone, flexibility, and reflexes of postural muscles and leg muscles, thereby increasing stability of gait and balance in people with mild to moderate mobility disabilities.
Those with more severe disabilities benefit from improved postural control, essential to healthy respiratory and digestive function. These physical benefits contribute to the maintenance of independent lifestyles in individuals with disabilities.

Individuals with disabilities need an enhanced sense of self-confidence, control, and autonomy to cope effectively with the challenges their disabilities present to them on a daily basis. Horseback riding, by its very nature is a cooperative enterprise requiring patience, sensitivity, and perseverance. As riders practice and develop these attributes, the horse rewards and reinforces the rider with improved performance and obedience. Development of these attributes contributes to a rider's overall sense of mastery, control of their environment, and self-confidence, all of which enhance the individual's ability to cope with practically any challenge life offers.

Many adults with disabilities, particularly older adults, have limited opportunities for social interaction. Decreased levels of social interaction and engagement have been shown to contribute to depression, self-neglect, a sense of loneliness, and low self-esteem.

Because the therapeutic riding setting involves volunteers, instructors, horse-handlers, other riders, and the horses themselves, it is a very social activity. Moreover volunteers and riders vary in ages, from teens to senior citizens, offering the opportunity for much intergenerational interaction, and the chance for a rider to make new friends and expand his or her social network.

If you are interested in theapeutic riding, At EASE (Equine Assisted Self Exploration), EEL (Equine Experiential Learning), volunteering, contributing, or just learning more about Quantum Leap Farm, please contact us today.

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