CLEVELAND — A furry friend visited the 3News studios Wednesday and our very own Lynna Lai was lucky enough to greet him!
The staff of Fieldstone Farm joined Front Row in studio and brought along their miniature therapeutic horse "Willie" to the set.
Fieldstone Farm is a therapeutic ridding center in Chagrin Falls that uses horses of all sizes to help people of all ages with health related issues and education.
The minis serve as the farm's ambassadors, demonstrating how a connection with a horse can improve mood, mindfulness, motivation, confidence, relaxation and happiness. They also help students with experiential learning based around math, science, art and social skills.
"Willie" is one of five mini therapeutic horses at Fieldstone Farm. They have 40 therapeutic horses in all.
One of the programs they offer that was discussed on Front Row is their Hippotherapy Program. In the program, students will participate on the horse doing physical or occupational therapy. This includes riding the horse and involving the movement of the horse to promote balance and strength rehabilitation.
It's a great alternative to traditional rehabilitation, especially for children who might be daunted by the classic methods ate rehab centers that don't always cater to the children's psychological needs.
If you have interest in helping out Fieldstone Farms, they are holding a fundraising event on September 10 at the Landerhaven Event Center in Mayfield Heights. There will be a variety of local chefs in attendance and plenty of food and drink to go around.
The money collected at the event will directly support Fieldstone Farm's programs. More info can be found at FieldstoneFarm.org
Previous stories about Fieldstone Farm: