Nonprofit Provides Horse Therapy

PRAIRIE GROVE, Ark. --- Courage Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC)

is a nonprofit organization that provides equine-assisted activities and
therapeutic riding to children and adults.

From children with cognitive and physical delays to youth at risk, a wide
range of individuals come to CTRC.

Jessie Kersh is a co-founder, instructor and the program director at

CTRC.

She said she fell in love with horses when she was a child.

Horses taught her better communication skills and improved her

confidence, Kersh said.

“They helped me find so much peace growing up,” she said. “I knew
from a very young age that I wanted to share that with as many people
as possible.”

CTRC serves children as young as 18 months and even adults in their

twenties.

Therapeutic riding is beneficial for people who have symptoms of:

autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, ADD/ADHD, multiple sclerosis,
and more.

However, people do not have to have a diagnosis to come to CTRC.

Kersh said the instructors can modify activities for each person.
“We’re pretty open to everybody because we can do activities on the
ground, we can do activities on horseback,” she said. Anything we can
provide, we will try our best to do that in an individualized way.”

She uses natural horsemanship, which is a relationship with the horse,

to teach communication skills.

“Often times communication is improved because we find ways to

communicate with a nonverbal animal,” Kersh said. “By learning that
communication you’re better communicating with people.”
Each horse at CTRC has come from different places. They each have
unique skills. Kersh said the different horses provide an individualized
experience for each person.

“I think it’s super special that we have different kinds of horses out here
to let people explore those different personalities,” she said.

CTRC works with volunteers.

“We could not do without them,” Kersh said. “It’s super important we’re a
part of our community and we’re active.”

Courage Therapeutic Riding Center is located at 12922 Hogeye Road in

Prairie Grove, Arkansas.