Horseback Riding
Fourth-grader Maliah McCaster strolled into her classroom at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School in New York, holding a toy pony.
In just a few hours, she would board a school bus alongside her classmates and head out for a morning of horseback riding. The weekly activity comes through a partnership with Victoria Acres Equine Facility in Guilderland, which offers a therapeutic riding program to empower individuals with disabilities.
Special education teacher Morgan Grimm said the activity, which takes place twice a week, has allowed Maliah, who has autism, to connect with others and enjoy a learning environment outside of a traditional classroom.
"She's a super sensory girl. On the days that we're not here, she's seeking a lot more attention and her behaviors are a bit increased. But on the days we come back from the farm, she's a lot calmer," Grimm said. "We're seeing an increase in her making sentences and her overall language."
The 10-year-old is one of four students with autism who are participating in the pilot program, officially launched at the Guilderland farm earlier in the spring. They recently had their fourth riding session.
Victoria Acres, founded in 2012, provides more than 2,300 riding lessons and therapies every year. The recent addition of an indoor riding facility has allowed the nonprofit to expand its programs year-round, providing an average of 48 lessons per afternoon.
Despite the busy schedule, the farm pays extra attention to the health and well-being of its eight therapy horses, ensuring each animal participates in a maximum of three half-hour sessions each day. Many of the animals are older, which makes them especially suitable for therapy due to their gentle, calm nature.
Like other nonverbal students, Avery uses a "tap-tap" motion to signal the horse to move forward. His feet barely reach the stirrups, but he looks at ease and confident as he rocks back and forth atop the gentle giant.
"He looks like a cowboy," said Kristin Munrett, principal of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary.
As the children explored the property with their support staff, pointing at the donkeys and watching the horses graze, it was clear why the executive director of the nonprofit, Erin Pashley, called it her happy place.
