Remember When… “Horse Salad” was on the Menu?

How does a “Salad Bar for Horses” spark communication and mobility for folks at the Life Center?

Rosie is a picky eater. She was dainty, but ate only the hay and grain until one cook added lots of salt..

Following the recipe means counting, unwrapping, stirring and shaking the salt shaker.

Those peppermints are hard to unwrap but Baxter would eat the wrappers too.

Baxter ate everything in the feed bowl and brought it back for a refill. He ate Rosie’s leftovers too!

Making a “Horse Salad” might sound simple, but there are a lot of steps involved and a variety of skills, textures and surprises for folks who haven’t cooked in awhile. Rosie and Baxter were ready and willing to taste the results.

Watching to see who ate what was definitely a conversation starter even before Baxter picked up his bowl and started doing tricks.

Participants who arrived withdrawn began reading the recipe and adding ingredients. The staff at the Life Center had a great time too watching both the “cooks” and the mini horses interact.

What a fun way to work small motor skills, reasoning and muscle planning skills and observational skills! That’s the magic of horses in Equine Assisted Activities to build futures for folks with a lifetime of skills that are beginning to fade.

Thanks to a grant from the Masonic Foundation, Turning Point was able to do a multi week pilot at the Life Center to demonstrate the value of Equine Assisted Programming for individuals in memory care.

You can watch a video of Kenzie making a Horse Salad for Shorty by clicking HERE!.

Share TPR with friends:

Like this:

Related

Published by turningpointranchadmin