The Positive Effects of Horses on Students

For my free inquiry project, I chose to explore a topic that I hold close to my heart, but am eager to learn more about, the great positive effects horses have on students – specifically the effects of equine assisted learning, equine assisted therapies, and therapeutic riding. Below is a rough plan of the topics I will cover throughout my inquiry project.

I have seen and experienced first-hand the great positive effects that horses can have on people, as they have helped me tremendously throughout my life. Throughout any hard times in my life – anytime I have felt stressed and overwhelmed, my horses have been there and made me feel almost instantly better. When I was younger I just thought that was because I loved them so much. As I grew up I learned that there is actual scientific backing to this theory, so this was the perfect opportunity to expand my knowledge and learn how horses can help students. 

My grandma, Dallas Mackie has always been hugely involved in the horse world. Years ago, she worked with therapeutic riding students. Throughout the years, I have heard bits and pieces of her experiences with therapeutic riding, but this was the perfect opportunity to pick her brain, ask more questions, and have first-hand experiences to support my inquiry. 

Years ago, Dallas and Anna-May Gartside, members of the Wycliffe Exhibition Association came across an article about the benefits of therapeutic riding. As they were two like-minded individuals, with a love of horses and helping they thought “why can’t we do this here?”, and so they did. Dallas and another member travelled to Lethbridge for training, and Anna-May used her connections with the School District to set up an annual 6-week therapeutic riding program, right here in Cranbrook. The Wycliffe Exhibition was, and still is, a volunteer-run organization. They gathered a group of great volunteers and horses, connected with School District Five, and they were up and running. They had 8-10 students with disabilities in their program each year. “Everything about it was positive. It was good for the kids, and us too”. My Grandma, Dallas explained that she still remembers the students that participated in their program, and has watched them grow up, some of them now working full-time jobs. My grandma explained to me how much she loved the program, and stated: “everything about it was positive. It was such a simple thing, that made such a big impact”.