I was wondering how everyone felt about using companion animals in therapy programs? I'm volunteering at a stable that has a horseback riding program for children with mental and physical disabilities. The horses are all retired racehorses or otherwise adopted (ie. not bred for the program), and live out their full lives on the farm even after they are too old to participate in the program. The sessions are once or sometimes twice a day for about 3 hours, and consists of being groomed and tacked, visiting with the kids and then being rode for an hour by the kids (they walk around the corral with a volunteer on each side of the horse to ensure the safety of the child and the horse). They spend the rest of their day out in the pasture. The riding has a lot of psychological benefits for the kids and also reduces certain symptoms of their illness like strengthening muscles or reducing stiffness, and apparently helps reduce seizures as well. I volunteered here before I became a vegan, and I'm going back this fall, but I still feel conflicted about the idea because they are making a profit off of the horses work (although most of the money goes into caring for the horses I think, since most of the staff are volunteers).
I feel there is a difference between a program like this and something like seeing eye dogs (which can be a very unpleasant life for the dog from what I've heard, because there is not much regulation once the dogs are placed in their homes).
What do you all think?? And have any of you ever participated in a program like this or used one of your own pets for therapy, like where you visit hospitals or retirement homes with your dog?
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