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| Vicki Oliver (left), a teacher at Portsmouth’s Grant Middle School, works with Director of Therapeutic Riding Kelly Davidson during a class involving Oliver’s students. |
The program, developed in 1994, differs from other universities’
offerings because it isn’t associated with agriculture or preveterinary
fields of study. Students have requirements to fulfill in four areas:
equine science and health; equine business, farm and stable management;
riding; and field experiences and internships.
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| Nikki Elek, an Equine Studies major, walks therapeutic riding student Shelly Colvin and her horse out of a barn at the Ohio Horse Park. |
“When we created this program, we examined similar programs offered at other universities,” says Director of Equine Studies Connie Mays, who splits her time between the Equine Studies Program and the math classes she teaches at the Southern Campus. “We wanted to develop a more general program, one not so specialized that it focused just on riding or science.”
Students, who enroll in equine studies for many different reasons, seem to appreciate the latitude.
Nikki Elek of Hilliard, Ohio, was drawn by the opportunity to bring her own horse, Missy, to campus. The University owns 15 horses, while 25 — including Missy — are leased to the program.
“I love the small class atmosphere here,” says Elek, who plans
to become a riding instructor and eventually own a horse barn. “We
are all like family down here.”
Kevin Sloas, a paramedic from Flatwoods, Ky., simply wants to learn more
about horses. “My daughters ride horses,” he says, “and
I wanted to educate myself.”
Besides training students, the program reaches out to the community through
its one-of-a-kind Center for Therapeutic Riding. The center provides riding
as therapy to individuals of all ages who face mental, emotional, behavioral,
physical and educational challenges.
“Most recognized forms of therapy are for physical disabilities,”
says Director of Therapeutic Riding Kelly Davidson. “We focus more
on behavioral challenges. Not many barns are doing this, and that makes
us unique.”
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| The sun sets on the Ohio Horse Park. |
Nearly 300 children have participated in riding therapy since the center opened in May 1999. They are referred by teachers, social workers, mental health professionals, foster care boards and parents.
“It is amazing to see these children bloom,” says Davidson,
who has a master’s degree in social work. “Some start out shy
or have classroom conduct problems. Then all of a sudden, it happens.”
Some activities even improve students’ academic skills. In one math game, riders roll large fuzzy dice, add the numbers together, then walk their horses the corresponding number of steps.
The horse park also offers an extensive breeding facility. Last year, 160 privately owned mares from Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia were artificially inseminated, and semen samples were collected from 12 stallions for shipment to horse breeders throughout the United States and Canada.
A new wing of stalls will allow the facility to expand this aspect of
the operation during the January-to-June breeding season.
Located just two hours from Lexington, Ky., the horse park benefits from
its proximity to the heart of the equine industry as well as its already
solid reputation for producing professionally trained graduates. As the
program moves forward, the University is exploring an international exchange
program for equine studies students and faculty.
“I had no idea it would come this far this fast,” Mays says.
“When this program was created, I was told to dream big. Our dreams
are coming true — and getting bigger.”
Jennifer Kirksey Smith, BSJ ’98 is a media specialist and Rick Fatica
is the photographer for Ohio University Media Services.