Decade of Dedication with The Academy Schools

For the past ten years, young women from The Academy Schools arrive each Saturday to volunteer as sidewalkers. In a therapeutic riding program, a sidewalker is a crucial link in the safety and success of our riders. Walking right next to the horse, sidewalkers offer physical stabilization, emotional encouragement, and clear communication to help riders focus and feel secure. It requires focus, empathy, and absolute reliability.

The Ripple Effect of Service

While our riders benefit immensely from the consistency and care these young women bring, the impact doesn't stop there. The barn has a way of teaching life lessons that you just can't get in a traditional classroom. Through their time as sidewalkers, the students from The Academy Schools have developed:

• Deepened Empathy: Learning to read the non-verbal cues of both a horse and a rider who may be non-verbal themselves.

• Leadership & Responsibility: Managing safety protocols and stepping up as role models in the arena.

• Resilience: Staying focused and patient, even when a session requires extra time, care, and adaptivity.

To the administration and staff at The Academy Schools who have championed this program year after year: Thank you for believing in the power of equine-assisted service!