Therapeutic Horseback Riding: Not Just A Pony Ride
with Diana Beardsley
It is possible to break the stigma of therapeutic riding by simply teaching good horsemanship to every student. By using task analysis and breaking each learned horsemanship task into progressively smaller steps, an Instructor can empower each rider to achieve their maximum potential in spite of any disability. Every individual deserves to be developed mentally, emotionally, physically, and socially and be taught in a way conducive to their personal learning style. This session explores all these listed dynamics in a simple, practical, illustrative manner.
Running time: 34 minutes
Diana Beardsley came from a 4H background as a youngster and followed her passion of teaching and horses as an adult. She is a CHA Certified Instructor, IRD Certifier, PATH Instructor, Certified Therapeutic Driving Instructor and Equine Specialist with a BS in Equine Studies from Lake Erie College. Since 1999, Diana has worked at Pegasus Farm Therapeutic Equestrian Center in Hartville, OH as a senior Riding Instructor and head of the Carriage Program, and she continues to volunteer at various horse events in the area and loves explaining to people what she does for a living.
