THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

Description

TEC is a nonprofit 501(c)3 service organization that provides year-round, horse-related activities, and therapeutic riding to people young and old with disabilities, including veterans and active military members. Our programs are designed to help children to seniors find hope, reach beyond their expectations, and discover unlimited possibilities. We do this by engaging the power of horses to challenge, inspire, and strengthen their bodies, minds, and spirits. TEC is open to residents with disabilities in Southwest Michigan and the Michiana Area.

TEC's therapeutic riding program helps people from children to seniors find hope and reach potentials they never thought possible. Participants benefit in a wide variety of ways. Therapeutic riding is a form of physical exercise. Physical therapists state that the horse's movements mirror people walking with benefits that can't be replicated in a clinic. Horses sense our emotions allowing a special connection between them and their rider. That connection may motivate a rider to utter their first words and empower them for the first time in their lives to be in control of a situation. Riders often also experience benefits; such as, greater ability to stay focused, behavioral improvements, and increased muscle strength. These benefits can improve classroom experiences as educators often see improvements as skills acquired in school are applied In new settings.