What is Therapeutic Riding?
Therapeutic riding is mounted horseback riding for the purpose of contributing positively to cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being of people through the teaching of horsemanship skills. Our lessons promote strength, increase flexibility, develop balance, improve coordination, improve breathing and circulation, boost self-confidence and build self-esteem. We work toward the individual goals of each participant as they develop social and physical skills with the aid of our horses.
FARM ACTIVITIES
Our focus is to provide directed, individual-lessons as well as experiential learning workshops, and day-retreats for groups in a dismounted experience with our horses and our mini-donkey.
Our mounted lessons include grooming, safety in groundwork and a mounted ride including warm-up exercises, a skill and a game.
Our certified staff and dedicated volunteers see that each horse is ready for work, and each client has a safe and fun experience. Half and full-day events have lunch, water/coffee and snacks provided as well.
Facilities
Hope Farm Granville is open and active throughout the year thanks to the ability to work in a heated indoor arena. Our lessons, work-retreats, and workshops are held in an environment that is peaceful and safe, away from the busy roads. We have parking near the barn and and a heated restroom.
Hope Farm Granville was a non-profit organization providing therapeutic riding resources to children and adults through individual and group lessons. This video was created to help engage potential sponsors for a new indoor riding arena that we are proud to say has been successfully built.
We are now called, "Hope Farm Riding Resources, LLC. We have added E3A Experiential Learning with Horses to our focus. We welcome small and larger groups to work with our horses with an E3A Certified Facilitator.
What is Experiential Learning with Horses?
Experiential learning describes the ideal process of learning, inviting each person to grow in self-understanding. As one grows as a learner and is empowered to take charge of one’s own learning and development, a powerful, somatic integration occurs. A horse is a somatic being. Horses are prey animals that depend on their “herd” for safety, direction, community, family and learning. When we work with a horse, we learn the importance of congruence in ourselves. We learn the value and skills of being an empathetic leader. We learn to work together as a team, valuing each member’s unique strengths.
Horses are always “present.” Horses read the person who is with them with direct honesty. There is no value put on professional position, level of education or any other type of label. The horse works with the people who are in the “herd.” When we work with horses in an experiential workshop, we are not riding. We are using body language and our intuition to complete exercises with horses in cooperation with other members of our herd/team.
Half-day and Full-day retreats are also offered where we spend time in the barn and around the farm animals. Lunch and snacks are provided. We can meet before the date to plan a personalized agenda to suit your needs.
The outcome of experiential learning workshops
Participants of experiential learning come away with greater self-awareness and resilience.The level of engagement involved in our workshops provides a deeper level of learning with improved work and life skills. Each person is aware of their place in the group. Each group has an improved understanding of how to work together as they flex their unique, newly-identified strengths.
Why do we work with horses?
Horses are herd animals, and they are prey. They have fine-tuned group cooperation and sharing of leadership. They are authentic, somatic beings with an abundant sense of awareness. The are observant of emotional states in their environment. They are always working toward balance and harmony in the herd. As we work with horses, we see the reflection of ourselves as we complete tasks with the horses. As we reflect, we learn about our own skills and weakness. We learn the importance of congruence in ourselves. We see more clearly, the path to our goals.