PROGRAMS
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Please see below for Bison Strides programming options at the NDSU Equine Center.
Adapted Therapeutic Horsemanship
Equine Assisted Learning
Open to participants age 4 years to adults of any age with diverse physical, neurological, cognitive, emotional, behavioral or mental health needs. This equine assisted service is designed to teach participants horsemanship skills. Documented benefits include improved social skills, balance and posture, as well as greater self-confidence and increased self-awareness. Participants must be able to sit independently astride a moving horse for 45 minutes, weigh less than 170 pounds, and have no contraindications for horseback riding.
Open to youth aged 6 - 17 who may benefit from social, emotional, or behavioral growth. Equine Assisted Learning is an experiential learning approach that promotes development of life skills through equine assisted activities (PATH Intl., 2021). The Bison Strides program promotes self-awareness and problem solving skills, in addition to providing equine interaction opportunities that teach honesty, respect, empathy and communication.
Military and Veterans Horsemanship Program
Physical and Occupational Therapy
Open to veterans and active-duty military personnel. This program is primarily ground-based and focuses on building a relationship with the horse, focused on mutual respect, clear expectations, and trust. These interactions provide an opportunity for self-reflection, emotional awareness and stress tolerance. Our military and veterans horsemanship program is supported 100% by donors and grants so there is no fee to service members for this program.
For participants at least 2 years old with no contraindications for mounted equine movement. In partnership with Bison Strides, Beyond Boundaries Therapy Services offers physical and occupational therapy using equine movement (also known as hippotherapy). Beyond Boundaries therapists use evidence-based practices and clinical reasoning to purposely manipulate the movement of the horse to engage the client’s sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems to achieve functional outcomes (American Hippotherapy Association, 2020). Individuals interested in registering for physical or occupational therapy incorporating horses should contact Katie Havelka directly or call Beyond Boundaries at 701-356-0062.