You may have heard that area therapy animals are making the rounds to bring smiles to peoples faces who maybe missing family and friends. This past week a local horse therapeutic horse group did just that in New Windsor.

Making Strides Therapeutic Horsemanship brought their Visiting Hooves program to the New Windsor Country Inn on Tuesday. It was a perfect sunny day for the residents and the horses to get acquainted. (see the photo gallery below). Kim Childs, the Executive Director and her husband James spoke with me over the phone and said everyone, especially the horses enjoyed the visit.

Making Strides Therapeutic Horsemanship is located in New Windsor at Ivy Rock Farm. Their mission is to "improve the quality of life and cultivate human potential through equine facilitated therapies and recreation." Basically the are using their well trained horses to help children and adults, with many different physical and mental challenges, achieve goals and enjoy companionship.

Making Strides is a not for profit organization who estimates it cost about $18 day to maintain each horse and that doesn't include the staff and other expenses. Currently their programs are on Pause with the rest of New York which is one of the reasons they started Visiting Hooves. Kim stated that "the horses need a job everyday" so getting them out on the therapeutic visit works for them and the people they visit. It is a two way street.

If you want to know more about Making Strides, how you can volunteer, how you can donate or how you can register for a program visit their website makingstridesth.org.

Therapy Horses Visit Seniors During COVID-19 Pandemic

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