Elizabeth Reimers – Animal Therapy Internship

My name is Elizabeth Reimers and I am a senior at Garden Spot High School. For my last High School semester, I decided to do an internship at Triangle Therapeutic Riding Center at Stony Run Feilds located in Reinholds, PA. I chose this internship because I wanted to expand my experience in animal handling and to seize the chance to help people in the process. In this internship, I have gotten the opportunity to assist kid and adult riders in strengthening their motor and mental skills through basic horseback riding, by leading the horses or being a side-aid to provide safety and stability to the riders.

On a usual day in the stables, I come in to help gather the equipment for the riders such as saddles, bridles, and reins. Once the horses are groomed and ready to go into their lesson. If there is still some extra time I get to help my mentor, Laura Rutledge, in setting up the lesson. Many lessons consist of working on different motor and mental skills in addition to balance and coordination. Once the lesson has begun, I get to safely lead a horse through the series of exercises or act as a side-aid to ensure the safety of the rider and help them maintain balance throughout the lesson.

Since I have begun interning with the riding center, I have gotten to bond and form friendships and excellent relationships with many of the riders and fellow volunteers at the barn. It brings me joy to see the riders improve from week to week. I have also noticed that I have also improved in my ability to lead a horse and ensure the safety of the riders and the people around me. I enjoy also using my experience of horseback riding to help the riders better understand the instructions that were given to them.

This internship has brought me closer to my career goal. My goal is to work as an animal handler at Sight and Sound Theater. This experience of maneuvering horses and working with them from the ground in addition to my experience on horseback is a great addition to my resume and understanding of horses. I highly recommend this internship to anyone who enjoys working with animals and people.