Turning Point Ranch

Therapeutic riding - the stillwater public schools have contracted with Turning Point for the last 19 years to offer therapeutic riding to special education students at the elementary, middle school, junior high, and high school. Riders learn skills in handling horses-mounted and unmounted, but even more important, they learn life skills that support independence in living and working successfully in the community. These skills contribute to classroom success. One student highly involved on the autism spectrum had never been able to be tested on iep goals, but on horseback, was able to solve a linear equation, identify geometric shapes and categorize life science elements using props from riding lessons. Another student with severe behavioral issues that were disrupting the entire classrom became an a student after mentoring by an outstanding volunteer.

Literacy programming-based on first grade level books, this program offers reading support to two title one schools in stillwater and has had a significant impact on reading levels after nine years of field trips where students read to horses and do fifteen other equine related activities.

Mobile mini-dementia patients rebuild mobility and communication skills through structured programming with a mini horse at the nursing home or assisted living center where they reside. School children learn about horses and interact with a mini horse to reinforce academic and social skills at schools.