SUNY Cobleskill will be offering its Therapeutic Horsemanship Veterans Program during Winter Session, December 2020-January 2021.
The program is made possible, in part, through funding from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Adaptive Sports Grant and donor support.
Additionally, SUNY Cobleskill is launching its Therapeutic Horsemanship Life Skills Micro-credential, which will be free to all veterans registering through the Winter Session program.
Participants will need to commit to a five-week, hands-on experience.
Veterans will work with horses at SUNY Cobleskill’s Equine Center in-ground programming or recreational horseback riding.
One-hour weekly sessions will be limited to four participants each to maintain social distancing protocols, and several time frames are available on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The program is disability accessible and open to veterans of all physical abilities. No prior training or interaction with horses is required.
The SUNY Cobleskill Therapeutic Horsemanship program was one of 14 Therapeutic Horsemanship programs nationwide to receive the 2020 VA Adaptive Sports Grant.
Funding will allow the program to expand equine assisted services by offering additional sessions and acquiring a lift to allow veterans in wheelchairs an opportunity to experience recreational horseback riding.
The Adaptive Sports Grant Program is run by the National Veterans Sports Programs and Special Events Office (NVSP&SE) at the VA.
The mission of the office is to provide opportunities for veterans to improve their independence, well-being, and quality of life through adaptive sports and therapeutic arts programs.
Last year, the SUNY Cobleskill Therapeutic Horsemanship Program began collaboration with the Albany Stratton VA Medical Center to provide a veterans program which included unmounted programming with horses.
Feedback to evaluate the success of the program has been collected from participants since June of 2019 and they have reported a decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms.
“Our horses are easygoing and intelligent, and they want to interact with people. The horses themselves do much of the teaching when it comes to riding and handling and that, in itself, is calming,” said Carolyn Nelson, veterans program manager and a Marine veteran.
“We as veterans are used to being stoic and not showing our emotions. Horses pick up on our emotions and it’s that gentle understanding that the horses show which encourages a restorative experience.”
Any veteran interested in learning more about the program can contact Ms. Nelson at nelsoncm@cobleskill.edu.