About Us
Cloud Dancers Therapeutic Horsemanship Program, Inc. (Cloud Dancers) is an Albuquerque-based recreational horsemanship program founded in 1982 for people with disabilities. We are a 501c(3) non-profit organization located in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, New Mexico. Our goal is to provide individuals with an opportunity for a unique therapeutic, recrational experiece in a fun, safe environment.
Cloud Dancers is an Affiliate Center Member of NARHA (formerly called North American Riding for the Handicapped Association). Cloud Dancers offers both a Therapeutic Riding Program and a Hippotherapy Program, which is facilitated by an onsite Occupational Therapist.
Our certified instructors and trained volunteers focus on the riders' abilities. While many of our riders have very involved physical and developmental challenges, they can overcome many of the barriers they experience in their everyday lives by using skills learned while riding. A person with physical limitations can find new opportunities for mobility on a horse, while other may experience increased confidence, pride, and responsibility.
Our Hippotherapy program follows the guildelines set by the American Hippotherapy Association, which promotes the use of the movement of the horse as a treatment strategy in physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy sessions for people living with disabilities. Hippotherapy has been shown to improve muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development, and emotional well being.
This is a photo of Belinda, who is always a shining light for the Cloud Dancers volunteers. |
