Programs

Centaur Stride was initially designed to enable participants, specifically with physical disabilities to engage in activities that would:

Improve one’s potential or ability to walk, and to preserve and/or improve hip range of motion to prevent or reduce pain.
Utilize and strengthen back/trunk muscles, especially for people supported all day in a wheelchair.
Improve functional use of hands (i.e. through steering the horse or reaching for objects).
Improve balance and equilibrium reactions.
Have fun while engaging in activities that have therapeutic benefit.

Programs were soon expanded to integrate riders of all levels of ability, and to create new programs to address other needs identified in the community. These needs included programs to build self-esteem and friendships, strengthen family unity, provide quality, structured after-school enrichment opportunities, and collaborate with other community programs to maximize potential.

Activity Photo Slideshow

Integrated (Therapeutic) Horseback Riding

Scheduled in small groups, riders with physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive disabilities engage in group lessons with non-disabled riders. Lessons are designed to challenge each rider individually. Lessons include horse care and riding prep, inside arena lessons and outdoor trail rides.

Team Sports

Piloted with funding from the Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, this program was designed to teach equestrian skills to teens for competition. To be eligible, participants had to have an individualized educational plan and could be not participating in other after school sports programs. Riders in this program had to be independent on the horse.

Friends and Family

Designed to build and strengthen family unity and friendships, this program allows riders to bring a friend or family member to ride with them. Common interests and shared experiences are crucial to building strong relationships.

Project Horseworks

Project Horseworks is volunteer learning experience to teach work ethics, business skills, responsibility, and job readiness skills to teens and young adults with disabilities. Selected activities under direct supervision of Barb Johnson, program leader, are spread out into stations and/or scheduled for task/activity to achieve the purpose of the lesson and individual goals and objectives including social interactions, communication skills, problem solving, and building self-esteem.

The program focuses on farming, where the cadets (participants) are learning how the seasoned horse manure is a great nutrient for plant life, and plant life can be a source of income or satisfaction.The program is sponsored by Cummin’s Engine in Jamestown.

Cummins Inc., Jamestown Engine Plant Sponsors Centaur Stride Project Horseworks

Project Horseworks Photo Slideshow

The P.R.I.D.E. Program
(Positive Reinforcements in Different Environments)

This program was developed to teach and facilitate the basic learning skills of attention, memory, discipline, non-verbal and verbal communication skills, team dynamics, trust and responsibility and to link them to practical academics through horsemanship, and theme based activities for creative challenge. This program is offered to schools as an after-school, quality, and structured enrichment program. It was well received by middle-school students of all abilities in an integrated setting.

Registration Form