Therapeutic Horsemanship

Therapeutic Horsemanship Program at Swartz Show Horses

Part of the Schuylkill Country Therapeutic Riding Program and with the support of Avenues, our program runs May through October with three evening sessions each week. To showcase their newly acquired skills, all riders participate in Schuylkill County's Therapeutic Show in September. This show is also open to participants from other therapeutic riding organizations. In October we finish with a Halloween party and all participants and families are invited to a Christmas party in December.

Pennsylvania Council on Therapeutic Horsemanship's PQI program.

Wende is a 2006 graduate of Pennsylvania Council on Therapeutic Horsemanship's PQI Program. She received her Master Instructor's certification in 2009 and is one of only four PACTH instructors to achieve this status. Swartz Show Horses is also a PACTH lifetime center member.

What is Therapeutic Horsemanship?

Therapeutic horsemanship relates specifically to partnering with the horse in therapeutic riding lessons, working on horsemanship skills with horses in the barn or stable, and competition.There are many terms in use today for the activity that was originally called therapeutic riding. There are two terms widely used today -- equine assisted activities and equine assisted therapy. Equine assisted therapy is performed by licensed credentialed medical or mental health professionals within their specialties: hippotherapy, equine facilitated mental health and psychotherapy. Equine assisted activities are performed by instructors certified within their specialties: therapeutic riding, interactive vaulting, driving, equine experiential learning, and sport/competition coaching.

(All information courtesy of PACTH. Please visit PACTH.org for full text.)

Who can benefit from Therapeutic Horsemanship?

Participants in therapeutic horsemanship programs range in age from young children to seniors. Individual programs may limit who can participate based on program-specific policies such as: age limits, weight limits, ability to sit upright with minimal support, or specialization in specific disabilities. Therapeutic horsemanship may benefit people with a wide range of physical, mental or emotional disabilities including, but not limited to: Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism, Mental Retardation, Developmental Delay, Traumatic Brain Injury, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, ADD/ADHD.

(All information courtesy of PACTH. Please visit PACTH.org for full text.)