NAPLES, Fla. -- It might be unconventional, but the Naples Therapeutic Riding Center say horse therapy works. The NTRC uses horses to help empower and improve the lives of adults and children suffering from disabilities.
"Learning how to build yourself back up again, how to stay positive, how to grow yourself as an individual, you’re able to do that with these animals," said Missy Lamont, NTRC Executive Director.
The Center is currently serving nearly 700 individuals. Their group therapy sessions include walking, riding, and grooming horses. Participants range in age from 4 to 87 years old.
The NTRC has this statement on it's website:
"The therapeutic riding programs offered at NTRC foster growth and confidence, empowering riders living with cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, ADHD, autism spectrum, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke survivors and developmental delay."
The Center will be hosting Youth Haven, a shelter for abused, abandoned and neglected children, beginning Thursday for a four week session. Lamont tells Fox 4, it's not just physical disabilities that are improved but also mental and emotional trauma. They offer a program called Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy, that works to relieve that trauma for the children.
"Leadership and confidence and trust and responsibility are sometimes all broken down when you're going through something traumatic in your life," said Lamont. "The horse is really the one doing the therapy."
The NTRC is located at 206 Ridge Drive in Naples. For more information on how to donate, sponsor a rider or volunteer call (239) 596 - 2988 or visit their website at www.naplestherapeuticridingcenter.org.
