Saddles & Salutes Program
Saddles and Salutes is a program at Shining Hope Farms that serves Veterans as a part of their community support system for Veteran wellness. Veterans are taught riding and horsemanship skills in a safe, standards based (structured), learning environment with individual objectives and goals. In this environment, we hope to help the Veteran thrive in the process of re-integrating from a military community to a civilian community.
The horse provides a non-threatening, trusting open relationship as the horse is non-judgmental and does not have expectations of the Veteran when connecting with them. The horse also provides an increase of physical and cognitive abilities which leads to a strengthening of independence to progress in daily life skills. Horses have been found to reduce anxiety and stress and create a sense of peace and contentment. The riding lesson gives the Veteran something to look forward to, provides pleasant experiences, forms new, positive memories as they bond with the horse and an opportunity for camaraderie with other Veterans in their group lessons.
Benefits of Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Physical
Increase abilities of gross motor skills, core muscles, general muscle strength and balance
Cognitive
Increase abilities of fine motor skills, attention span and focus, memory, hand eye coordination, sensory and mental processing, motor planning, problem solving, confidence and decrease of anxiety and stress
Socialization
Bonding with horse, other Veterans, instructor, staff and volunteers
and more
Having fun learning new things, seeing themselves progress and accomplish riding skills and horsemanship activities and enjoyment of trail rides.
All of these factors help to develop daily life skills and independence.
Locations
This program is offered at each farm.
Gaston
328 Whippoorwill Lane, Mt. Holly, NC 28120
Charlotte
3701 Kidd Lane, Charlotte, NC 28216
Conover
6347 St. Peter’s Church, Rd., Conover, NC 28613
Visit our Locations page for more information about each farm.
Cost
Financial assistance is available.
If interested, please contact us at:
Phone: 704.827.3788
Email: Send us an Email Here