What does a first free session look like?
Justin’s Barn Buddies program offers participants a first free session! This session is a very laid back opportunity for us to learn about your child as they explore the farm. This session typically looks like the following-
Tour the farm
We want you and your child to feel comfortable and know where everything is. It is important for our participants to know where to go to find their family member, where to go to the bathroom, and where we ride our horse.
2. Groom a Pony
We like to say goodbye to guardians at the end of the tour (if comfortable/ feasible) to see how our participants will act and handle separation from their guardians. Then we introduce each child to a miniature pony to see how they follow directions and process being around a horse.
3. Saddle Game
After wrapping up grooming, we head up to the barn and climb onto a saddle that is positioned on a barrel. For younger children we may play a game to find the stickers on the saddle or guess colors. For older children, we do a quick game of Simon Says. This allows us to assess each child’s basic color/letter/language skills as well as their ability to sit balanced and follow directions. We can let the child know this is what it feels like to ride a horse but moving and taller from the ground.
Justin’s Barn Buddies’ program is available to individuals ages 4-12 with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or Down Syndrome. We are accepting applications through September each year.