Equine-assisted learning is both unusual and highly effective. The Executive Director of 3 Gaits, Jolie Hope, says nobody really knows why horses have this effect on disabled people, but they do. The organization, which Madison South Rotary supports, helps people from age 3 to 92! The horses have a “profound impact” on the riders, half of whom are on the autism spectrum, according to Hope. They gain social skills, confidence and strength coordination, among other skills. For example, Hope mentioned one student who was non-verbal and spoke for the first time after this therapy!The program horses are 10-20 years old and are trained to work with people.
For more information, see https://three-gaits.org.
