Therapy takes many different forms, and dozens of people with physical and cognitive disabilities are making progress through an equine version at North Country Ride.

“We have riders that come work on goals. And some goals are either to increase their mobility or to – like for some autistic people, learning some new words or connecting with the horse is really important,” Executive Director Julie Peterson said.

They generally run three classes of four riders every day.

“The first thing we do is some stretching exercises so the riders are not only warming up their body but they’re also practicing balance,” Peterson said.

The stretches are followed by games on horseback in the ring and riding outside near the barn in Esko if the weather is nice.

“Some of our riders make leaps and bounds, especially the first-time riders that come in and they’re afraid and they don’t know any of the language,” Peterson said. “So they’re learning not only to speak for themselves but to speak to the horse and use the right terms.”

Other than four paid staff, North Country Ride relies fully on volunteers. Peterson said it’s rewarding work.

“We have one rider that came to us nonverbal. And by the end of her class, she was singing to songs that we were playing on the radio,” she said. “It gives me goosebumps every time I think about it. It’s just such a beautiful thing to watch.”