Buddy Systems Therapy Riding Program

 I don't think I have mentioned this before, but my trainer, Meghan, not only teaches lessons but also works with a therapy riding program called the Buddy Systems. The horses I ride in lessons, Ginger and Reno, as well as Moe, are also therapy horses. The Buddy Systems allow disabled people of all ages to ride horses, which is found to be therapeutic. It runs on volunteer work, so I decided that I wanted to help out make a difference in the lives of disabled people. Click here for the link to there website.

Meghan with Reno in his Buddy Systems attire.

 Yesterday evening my parents and I went over the Silver Rose Ranch to watch and participate in the program's orientation. Reno and Ginger had been tacked up by other volunteers, who would be leading the horses while the two participants rode. Some cones, barrels, buckets, and poles that stood upright line had been placed in the half of the arena usually portioned off for dressage. It was amazing watching how calm and relaxed Ginger and Reno were. It seems that they knew they were carrying special riders and needed to be extra careful. They both seemed to enjoy it.

 The volunteers played a mounted game with the riders in which the riders grabbed a ball that was in a bucket hanging on the one side of the arena, circled a cone, and rode over to another cone, which they would try to toss a plastic horseshoe onto. Next they rode over to the barrel, drew an animal on a board lying on the barrel, and weaved between two vertical poles set a little larger than a horse length apart. They ended the game by dropping the ball in a bucket at the end. It was cool to watch and is something I want to help out with regularly. It happens every Thursday.