Therapeutic Riding Program

All activities listed inherently provide increased self-esteem and confidence, stress relief, respect, and bonding/nurturing experiences, perhaps where there have been none before.

From The Ground Up is dedicated to helping each individual achieve the highest level of independence that he/she is safely capable of and translating that into other aspects of life.

Lesson Program

Mounted individual and group lessons improve gross and fine motor skills, motor planning, balance, coordination, flexibility, posture, muscle tone, and sensory integration. Our interdisciplinary approach includes fitness, ground work and horse care, as well as riding. Therapeutic horsemanship, as taught at FTGU, develops life skills such as problem solving, planning, memory, teamwork, hygiene and safety through the care of the horse and its environment.

Horses for Heroes

Horses for Heroes is a program based on the concept of soldiers helping soldiers with the aid of horses and riding. The camaraderie of fellow soldiers combined with the physical and mental stimulation of therapeutic riding has proven beneficial for both the riders and the volunteers. Therapeutic riding provides both physical benefits (improved balance, motor skills, coordination, & flexibility), as well as emotional and mental benefits (decreased mental stress, improved self-esteem & the creation of a social network). Horses for Heroes could be offered to veterans with physical disabilities, including amputations, as well as soldiers with diagnoses such as depression and PTSD.

Vocational Training

Stable Management and Horse Care: promoting a positive work ethic, teamwork, responsibility and respect as well as improving technical knowledge of horsemanship for qualified applicants.

Horseman's Fitness Program

In addition to groundwork and mounted work, participants will learn to prepare themselves for their session as well as prepare the horses. We have found that general fitness and riding-(sport) specific exercise is an area that needs attention. The Horseman's Fitness program will be administered by our NARHA Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor who is also a National Strength & Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer.

The fitness portion of each session will include warm-up, riding-specific exercise to stimulate mind and body, and flexibility. Sessions will now run 60 or 75 minutes (depending on individual needs & choice). Shorter sessions will also be available if necessary. There will be no extra charge for this program. Call 382-3664 for more information on this exciting new addition to our program!

Field Trips and Special Programming

Contact FTGU to plan a field trip for your class or agency!

For information on registering a rider please call Andrea at (315) 655-8943

For programming information please email: info@ftguhorses.org

Click here for a Rider Registration Packet

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