Florida students who attend the Winslow Therapeutic Center in Warwick are not horsing around. They are learning all about horses and how to take care of them through a unique program.
Students, of all grade levels, in the district’s Special Education program have spent time at the center where they spend five weeks in the fall and five weeks in the spring learning to take care of the horses and the stalls they reside in as well as groom them and ride on them.
“They get to experience a lot of what goes into it,” Supervisor of Pupil and Staff Support Services Jeanne-Marie Pavlik explained. “The horses are very calm and very soothing.”
Pavlik recalls seeing students throughout the years who were terrified of horses before starting the program and then growing to love them once they spent time with them.
“The students really get involved and they show confidence,” Pavlik said. “It’s a good confidence builder for them.”
This most recent session concluded Dec. 5 with a small celebration where the students’ families, as well as their teachers are invited to see the kids show off the new skills they learned during the sessions including how to ride and brush a horse.
“It’s been a really great experience for the students over the years,” Pavlik said.