A gentle reminder to follow our no-fragrance policy when coming to your shift. Did you know horses have an incredible sense of smell? They are estimated to have around 300 million olfactory receptors, compared to only 5–6 million in humans! That means strong scents like perfume, deodorant, or even heavily scented laundry detergent can be overwhelming or unsettling for them. Strong smells can: Distract or stress horses Interfere with their ability to read their environment Ma

When going behind a horse, always start by checking the situation. Is the horse relaxed? Are their ears or eyes on you? Awareness is key. Use a safety hand: Place your closest hand on the horse’s hindquarters Stay close to the horse, not far away, this helps the horse know where you are and allows you to feel if they shift Move smoothly and confidently, no sneaking or sudden movements Keep your path clear and intentional as you move from one side to the other Remember, most i

A great takeaway from Sharon Wilsie’s podcast is this: horses are always communicating — we just need to know how to listen. Horses use subtle body language (ears, head, movement, tension) to tell us how they’re feeling. When we pay attention, we can respond in a way that helps them feel safe, understood, and relaxed. As volunteers, you can support this by: Staying aware of the horse’s body language Giving the horse space and time to respond Keeping your own movements calm, c

Did you know that hippotherapy and adaptive (therapeutic) riding are not the same thing? Hippotherapy (Early Intervention Program on Friday mornings) is a medical therapy led by licensed professionals (like PTs, OTs, or SLPs), where the horse’s movement is used as a treatment tool. Adaptive riding (Lessons from Monday to Thursday) focuses on building confidence, independence, physical mobility, and overall wellbeing in a supportive environment, with riding skills as one piece

You may notice that instructors often tell riders what to do rather than what not to do, and there’s a good reason for that! Positive instructions are clearer, easier to process, and help riders feel more confident. As volunteers, we can help reinforce this by echoing the instructor’s words in a positive way. For example, instead of saying: “Don’t lean forward,” try “Sit tall” or “Shoulders back.” “Don’t kick,” try “Gentle legs” or “Quiet legs. “Don’t lean into the turn.” try

When handling the lead rope, it’s essential to hold it correctly for safety and effective communication with the horse. Here’s how to hold the rope: Two Hands on the Lead Line: Always use both hands for a stable and controlled grip on the rope. No Loop Around Your Hand: Never loop the rope around your hand to avoid injury if the horse pulls. Leave an Arm’s Length from the Buckle: Keep about an arm’s length of slack from the buckle to provide the horse with freedom of movement

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a neurological condition caused by damage to the developing brain, often before or during birth. It primarily affects movement, muscle tone, and posture, but the way it shows up can vary significantly from one person to another. Key Types of CP You Might See at VTRA: Spastic CP (most common): Muscles are stiff or tight, making movements jerky or difficult. May affect one side of the body or all four limbs. Ataxic CP: Affects balance and coordination.

It’s that time of year when our horses are shedding their winter coats , and we all end up wearing a little extra horse hair on our clothes! When grooming, you’ll notice quite a bit of loose hair left behind on the stall mats . For the horses’ wellbeing, please take a moment to pick up all loose hair and dispose of it in the bin by the tack rooms . Removing hair from the ground is important because it: Prevents horses from eating or inhaling it Helps keep stalls clean

We’re starting our yearly process of acclimating the horses to grass so they’ll be ready for daily access to the back field once it opens. This slow introduction is essential to keep their tummies happy, healthy, and safe as spring grazing begins. This week, each horse will enjoy 5 to 10 minutes of grass time. We’ll gradually increase the duration every week until the back field is ready to welcome the herd, fingers crossed for the end of Spring Break Camps! A huge tha

A gentle reminder for everyone tacking up horses: a correctly tightened girth is essential for our horses’ comfort and wellbeing. 1. Don’t Over‑Tighten: A girth that’s too tight can cause pinching, pressure points, and overall discomfort. Tighten gradually and always check how the horse is responding. 2. Keep Both Sides Balanced (picture 1&2): Make sure both billets (straps) are on similar holes . If one side is at the top and the other is on hole one, the pressure is uneven

When working with a participant who is visually distracted or not focusing, it’s important to help gently guide their attention without overwhelming them. Try using simple, consistent prompts that cue them to look or engage. Some helpful strategies include: Saying their name to get their attention Using clear phrases like: “Watch me”, “Eyes here”, “Look this way” Priming with alerting words like: “Ready?”, “Here we go!” These cues help orient participants without adding press

Here’s a friendly reminder about a habit that feels natural to us but can be confusing for our horses: touching or rubbing their faces . While we often mean it as affection, many horses find face‑touching uncomfortable. It can encourage mouthy habits , blur boundaries, and even add stress. Think of it this way: If someone walked right up to you and started rubbing your face, how would you react? Most of us would take a step back and wonder what’s going on!Horses feel the sam

A quick reminder for our amazing Assistant Instructors: Please make sure to pick up manure during lessons and empty the indoor wheelbarrow at the end of your shift. There are two big benefits to staying on top of this: 1. Protecting Our Arena Footing Regular manure pickup helps keep our footing in top condition and extends its lifespan. The cleaner the arena, the longer the footing lasts — and the safer and more enjoyable it is for our horses and riders. 2. Preventing Injurie

Side walkers play a key role in making sure each rider’s helmet is fitted safely and correctly before they enter the arena. A well‑fitted helmet is one of our most important safety tools, and it only takes a moment to check! A quick reminder to help keep our riders safe: Front: Helmet sits level, about 1 inch above the eyebrows . Sides: Straps form a “V” just below and in front of the ear . Back: Fit should be snug , with no rocking or sliding. Chin Strap: One‑finger sn

A quick reminder to all volunteers: please remember to sign in when you arrive for your shift and sign out when you leave . This small habit makes a big difference! We’re currently working on Volunteer Hours Recognition , so if you want your hours counted toward upcoming appreciation and recognition initiatives, make sure they’re recorded! Accurate volunteer hours also play a huge role when we apply for grants and funding — it helps demonstrate the strength and impact of ou

Attention AIs, Horse Handlers, and Grooms: If a rider uses a special pair of stirrups (anything other than the regular ones attached to the saddle), please remember: Put the regular stirrups back on the correct saddle before putting the saddle away. Return the specialized stirrups to Tack Room 2 where they belong. These small steps save the next volunteers a lot of time, keep our tack organized, and help the barn run smoothly and efficiently. Thank you for your attention

You may have seen an Assistant Instructor zooming around the barn, helping riders, volunteers, setting up the arena, and solving 12 problems at once, and thought: “Surely no actual human can do all that.” But fear not, they are, in fact, real people (we checked)! This week, we’re spotlighting the Assistant Instructor (AI) role so everyone understands just how central they are to keeping lessons smooth, safe, and fun. What AIs Do Before Class: Review the barn board for hor

Sometimes participants may start sharing lots of thoughts or stories that aren’t related to the task at hand. This is common—and totally okay!—but it’s important to help bring their attention back to riding in a gentle and supportive way. Here are a few helpful strategies: Use redirecting language like: “Let’s talk about riding.”, “Let’s talk about trotting/turning/getting the ball.”, “Thanks for telling me—let’s talk about that later.”, “We are riding now.” Offer a quick ph

When leading a horse, always look ahead to where you want to go. Turning around to check on the horse can confuse them, as they’re masters at reading body language. If you face them while trying to move forward, you’re sending mixed signals. Horses, as four-legged animals, naturally move in a horizontal alignment, while humans, being two-legged, move vertically. Imagine an invisible line extending from your belly button and, similarly, from a horse’s chest. This line represen

This week we’re continuing our Safety and Emergency Series with two important items: the AED and First Aid Kits . AED (Automated External Defibrillator): You’ll find it at the entrance of the barn , mounted on the wall to the left , just before the chalkboard. First Aid Kits, t here are two locations : In the office kitchen , on the shelf next to the fridge. In the arena , in the first door of the kick boards to the right. Next time you’re on site, take a moment to locate the