Therapeutic Riding - I Love It!

Today was my first day back at the therapeutic riding barn. I'm so, so grateful to be able to step back into one of the things I really missed when I moved to an office job - my shifts at the barn! There have been plenty of changes since I left three years ago, but of course it still feels the same. Some of the horses are old friends whom I'm very happy to be able to care for again, while some are strangers who I look forward to getting to know. There are numerous staff and policy changes, but I do believe I'm going to fit in just like I never left.

Cutest little fjord. I've missed him and his muddy ways!

 Our local barn is run on provincial funding along with commercial and private donations. They've managed to build a great program over the course of the years and serve as a model for organizations across Canada. The benefits to working for a place like this are many: they're super efficient and organized, there is little to no drama, the horses receive the best possible care, and the staff and volunteers are all very good at what they do. They also have some pretty nifty facilities (an indoor!) that staff are allowed to use during non program hours. The program mostly caters to school age children as well, which of course only adds to the fun. Plus, you are supporting a really great cause.

The 'big guy'. He's a Belgian/QH cross and used to be my exercise horse. My hips ache again just thinking about it :)

At the moment, they have eight horses who will be mine to care for 3 mornings a week. I usually volunteer a training ride once a week as well, so it works out just about right as far as having lots of time for my own horses yet not feeling like my entire life is taken up with horses. The pay, like any horsey job, is not the best - but hey, I'm getting paid to spend time with the coolest kids and horses in town! (Also for the sake of honesty, I have a tech career that allows me to not starve :)