STARKVILLE, Miss. ( WJTV ) – The Equine-Assisted Services’ (EAS) therapeutic riding program for children with special needs is one of several programs offered through the Mississippi State University (MSU) Extension Service.

EAS accepts 12 riders per semester for the program and currently offers the MSU Veterans Horsemanship Program, Veterans Support Services, equine-assisted learning for children with special needs and equine-assisted learning groups for adolescents focusing on behavioral health.

Until this fall, EAS activities were based at the Elizabeth A. Howard Therapeutic Riding and Activity Center in West Point. The program’s transition to the Mississippi Horse Park in Starkville will be complete in October. The program currently uses eight horses and serves up to 200 people per year between all its services.

MSU Extension EAS coordinator Lori Irvin said the move will enhance the services the program provides.

“It is really going to help with our parents being able to get their children there, and it saves the costs of us having to drive the horses back and forth,” Irvin said. “This facility is larger and has more space, but the biggest benefit for us is going to be the volunteers’ availability. Most of our volunteers are students at MSU, and this will cut down on the time and money they have to spend driving. It will be closer for everybody.”

Irvin said therapeutic riding for children with special needs includes specialized riding activities that use horses to provide physical, emotional, cognitive and psychological benefits. Equine-assisted learning is a non-mounted program for individuals that involves hands-on interactions and activities with horses.

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