Two West Grove firefighters recently completed a six-week course titled “Introduction to Horsemanship for First Responders” conducted by Thorncroft Equestrian Center in Malvern. Thorncroft is a premier leader in the field of therapeutic horsemanship, which is defined as “a recreational equine-assisted activity that teaches horsemanship skills to people with disabilities. However, while recreational, it is also goal-oriented which contributes positively to rider’s cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being.”(1) Recognizing these amazing benefits, Thorncroft’s very generous benefactors provided the funding for this program for veterans and first responders, some of whom have challenges handling the trauma and stress they encounter.

The course teaches students to be comfortable around horses by learning to clean horses hooves and properly brush the horse’s coat. Students learn how to control a horse by walking the horse around various paths inside the arena, including around cones and rails set up by the staff, and how to return a horse to its stall. Students are then taught the proper way to ride the horse. Thorncroft teaches “natural horsemanship” which helps build a bond between you and your "partner" the horse.

The West Grove Fire Company’s territory includes farms and horse-riding facilities, and some of our neighbors travel the roadways via horse-drawn buggy. Students were therefore given instruction on the best way to manage a horse that may be loose and stressed, stranded in a ditch, or injured at the scene of a crash.

Many thanks to the wonderful paid and volunteer staff at Thorncroft for providing this course, and a big thanks as well to the benefactors who provided the funding resulting in no charge to West Grove Fire Company. The course is offered several more times this year, see the links below for information on this and other opportunities at Thorncroft including “family nights” for past participants.

(1) Therapeutic Horsemanship definition retrieved 2/26/2023 from https://shininghopefarms.org/2019/04/meet-amy/#:~:text=Therapeutic%20riding%20is%20a%20recreational,emotional%20and%20social%20well%2Dbeing.