Q&A    Questions and Answers:

Hello Bob,

I am looking for information or studies that you might know of about the therapeutic effects of horses. If you know of a web site that might have some information I would be very grateful.

Thanks

For information on hippotherapy and therapeutic riding, the first place to look is the web site of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (www.narha.org). They have several articles dealing with various therapeutic benefits.

TROT - Therapeutic Riding of Tucson (www.horseweb.com/client/trot/) also has some info along with several related links.

For a more direct and personal approach, you may want to contact the managers of the therapeutic riding program up in my neck of the woods: the Forget-Me-Not Foundation. Started by Todd and Ann Block in 1990, the Forget-Me-Not Foundation has an informative web site at www.fmnfride.com. If you e-mail them, please tell them that "Cowboy Bob" said hi.

I hope you find some of this useful. I have a couple of young friends who have benefited greatly from their activities at Forget-Me-Not. By the way, back in the '70s - before I was elected to the state legislature - I served as a board member on the Minnesota State Council for the Handicapped... so such programs have a special spot in my heart. Now that I'm officially "retired," I've also been able to actively work as a volunteer at Forget-Me-Not. It's a very rewarding experience for riders and volunteers alike!

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