For the past eight weeks, Mrs. Link’s Independent Living class has had the privilege of participating in the vocational training program at Dreams on Horseback. Each week, they traveled to a horse farm in Blacklick, Ohio, where students spent the afternoon caring for the horses and learning valuable life and workplace skills.
The vocational training program at Dreams on Horseback provides young adults with special needs the opportunity to develop important work and social skills through authentic, hands-on experiences. Students learned the responsibilities involved in caring for the barn and horses while gaining confidence, teamwork, and independence in a supportive environment.
Mrs. Link’s students quickly learned the daily routines required to clean stalls, groom and feed the horses, provide fresh water, and maintain the barn. In addition to these responsibilities, her students participated in a variety of engaging educational activities, including scavenger hunts, interactive games, making “snack pizzas” for the horses, and helping create molasses paintings alongside the horses to take home as keepsakes. They also enjoyed watching the miniature horses run and had the opportunity to walk both the miniature and full-sized horses. Every student actively participated and benefited from each lesson and activity.
We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be part of this meaningful program. The experiences and skills our students gained will have a lasting impact on their growth and future success.
Thank you to instructors Heidi, Diana, and Andrea for providing the guidance our students needed as they progressed from active learners to independent workers, and thank you to all the sponsors and supporters who make this program possible, as well as to those who helped provide our students with this wonderful opportunity this year.
