Various types of people volunteer and work for Milestones, Inc. All ages and demographics are welcome—as long as you love animals.
Milestones, Inc. was founded almost three decades ago, back in 1999. Mary Lunn founded the facility as a hardworking, animal-loving occupational therapist.
According to long-standing employees at Milestones, Inc., it has always aimed to help special needs children and elderly adults. Special needs children, since Milestones’ development in 1999, have enjoyed the many benefits of horseback riding in a therapeutic setting, including physical, psychological and behavioral ones.
Therapeutic horseback riding has been shown to provide many benefits for children—especially special needs children. Horseback riding provides many benefits, as mentioned previously, like improved range of motion, and increased focus, which improve overall physical and mental-health and wellbeing.
For children specifically, horseback riding has been shown to enhance decision-making skills, boost self esteem and to provide an overall sense of accomplishment. Dalton, employee of Milestones, Inc., reported that he has seen growth among the special needs children that attend the Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program—including substantial growth in a deaf three-year-old girl.
“[The program helped] her build on skills with… words, and [taught] her how to talk,” Dalton said.
Overall, improvements in communication skills seem to be a common denominator in the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding seen in disabled children. For elderly clients though, equine therapy includes benefits such as stimulation of several organ systems, and improved coordination.
Being around horses has shown to increase the flow of oxytocin, a “social” chemical, and to lessen symptoms of stress due to a reduced flow of cortisol among barn-goers, according to Animals (2076-2615), a published MDPI journal.
When asked how their mental and physical health has been impacted by working at Milestones, several volunteers and employees replied that working at Milestones, Inc. has improved socialization, and, according to Trisha Kremer, Senior Instructor and Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, the program has been very beneficial.
“Coming here totally saved my life,” Kremer said.
Long- and short-term effects of working in a therapeutic setting include improved mood and self-regulation, albeit it can promote undue stress while hindering emotional availability, too.
Chloe, who has worked at Milestones, Inc. for nearly 8 years, shared that she enjoys being around the people most about working here at the facility. Trisha Kremer also reported similar satisfaction, claiming that the people are her favorite aspect of Milestones, Inc..
“Every day, [volunteers] come here because their heart’s in it, and it makes a huge difference,” Kremer said.
Volunteering, according to several employees and volunteers of Milestones, Inc., involves taking care of the horses, and working in a leadership role in the arena as a leader or side-walker. To become a volunteer at Milestones, one must complete an introductory training process, which is a two-hour process that involves a pairing with a seasoned, experienced volunteer while learning how to clean stalls and groom horses.
