Today’s claim to cures seems to involve one special unobtainable ingredient for magic results in pill form or artificial intelligence digital programs for lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes may be the best protocol for long-term results, but how successful are lifestyle changes without a catalyst for change in your environment?

Over-eating, chemical or substance addiction, slow metabolic rates, thyroid dysfunction, chronic fatigue, and even joint pain may all be symptoms of chronic stress and depression.

Are horses the key ingredient for a healthier lifestyle? Centaur Stride is now offering a free chance to see for yourself.

Centaur Stride recently received a small grant to bring more awareness of that potential through presentations and clinics. A schedule has been set, and free to the public through a sponsorship grant from the M&T Charitable Foundation.

Please like and follow our Facebook page, Centaur Stride Therapeutic Riding Center, to keep informed of these clinics, which are held at the facility at 8488 Jones Road in Sherman.

The benefits of therapeutic horseback riding span the spectrums of physical, cognitive, and psycho-social domains.

They do all that at the same time, working in synergy, facilitating multiple biological systems of brain activation and responses that would take the combined efforts of so many different disciplines, activities or therapies in a coordinated fashion to accomplish similar improvements. That simultaneous synergy allows for instant integration of body systems. That’s why the results are so much quicker with horses.

These clinics require that you get out of the house for something that may be pleasant and exciting, free, require exercise (even if it appears passive), offers education on self-care, and have the potential for networking and making new friends with common life experiences.

Our first presentation and clinic (using the horses) was aimed at caregiver self-care: Human to Horse Connection Clinic- How to ease Out of Overwhelm and Stress, with guest presenter Dena Garfield. Using yoga, equine assisted activities, and meditation, it focuses on mental health.

The second clinic is scheduled for Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to noon, titled Posture Partners. It is limited to 12 people, and again aimed at caregivers. We are experimenting with times for clinics, and if there is an interest but there are time conflicts, please let us know. This clinic will be presented by Physical Therapist, Claudia Monroe. Highlights of the presentation focus on treating your own back. Featuring the McKenzie Method, awareness and movement therapy, proper lifting techniques, and therapeutic horseback riding, participants will learn techniques in relieving or preventing back pain. Participants should wear long pants, comfortable clothes and closed toe shoes, preferably ones that tie or riding boots (no sandals).

Who would have thought that riding a horse can relieve back pain? What about getting on and off! Centaur Stride has a hydraulic lift to get on and off and the horses are well trained. Back pain can occur from a number of causes and all require rehabilitation with some similarities in their protocols. The one constant is that pain is a warning sign. Core strength and proper lifting techniques, especially for those continuously lifting people for transfers, is vital. Special equipment for the task is also very important. Posture and alignment has a significant impact on risk of injury.

How amazing is it that the horse promotes proper posture and alignment. The three-dimensional movement of the horse stimulates movement in the human pelvis with automatic reactions throughout the body to improve posture, stimulate activation of core muscles, increase blood flow, and help regulate heart rate and digestion.

Sitting on a moving horse doesn’t look like much work, but if you have never ridden a horse, you have an experience in physical activity just waiting for you. In addition to activating muscles, it stretches and relaxes to the rhythm of the beat. The non-judgmental demeanor of the horse sets the stage for a mirroring effect where the horse senses the emotional needs of the rider and reacts with a truly forgiving nature and a yearning to please. If only humans, the most intelligent species on earth, could do this!

The most important factor of treating your own back and preventing injury is education and follow-through. This clinic could be life changing. To register, call the barn at 716 326-4318 or go to our Facebook page and use the link to register.

At our facility, safety of the riders and the horses is paramount. There are precautions and contraindications to horseback riding. There is information we need to know to make an assessment of who can ride our horses at our center. We now have an Equicizer (mechanical horse that is activated by the rider). The Equicizer has several benefits, including preparing to mount a live horse, and assessing safety.

For all our clinics, there will be a sign-up waiting list for future repeat clinics based on interest.

Please help us continue to help others by giving to CHQ 716 Give Big on June 12. Thank you for your support.

Claudia Monroe is president of Centaur Stride.