Centenary Completes TRAC Program in LV

Centenary College recently completed a Therapeutic Riding at Centenary (TRAC) summer camp for students with disabilities to work on their riding skills and give them an opportunity to learn about caring for a horse, according to a press release from the school.

The following is information provided by Centenary College regarding its TRAC program.

“The summer camp was quite a success,” says Professor Octavia Brown, Professor of Equine Studies at Centenary College and Director of the TRAC program. “We are now gearing up for the fall and are interested in serving more clients and are in need of volunteers to help with the program.”

The TRAC program has been in existence since 2003. It is a full-service therapeutic riding program serving North and Central New Jersey. TRAC is housed at the College’s Equestrian Center in Long Valley.

Therapeutic horseback riding offers a variety of benefits for children and adults with disabilities. As a physical activity, sitting on a moving horse causes the rider’s upper body to respond to the movement of the horse in a three-dimensional manner. The rhythm of 80 to 100 steps each minute stimulates reflexes and balance reactions in a way that cannot be duplicated by the human therapist.

On the psychological and emotional level, the thrill of being seated on a horse or pony that is trained to respond willingly to the rider’s signals is a powerful benefit. As a form of cognitive therapy, the rider learns to relate to the space of the riding arena including other riders and special equipment, and interact with his horse to navigate safely.

A new volunteer orientation will take place on 5 p.m. September 9, 2011, at the Centenary Equestrian Center. Equestrian experience is recommended for volunteers.

Classes will resume for the fall on Sept. 16, 2011. Volunteers are needed on Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

“A lot of people want to help organizations, but cannot do it financially in this economic climate,” says Professor Brown. “This is a perfect opportunity to give back to a wonderful program that has helped over 100 people since it has started.”

For further information about volunteering or becoming a client, please call Professor Brown at 908-852-1400, ext. 2174, or e-mail her at browno@centenarycollege.edu.

Founded in 1867 by the Newark Conference of the United Methodist Church, Centenary College’s academic program integrates a solid liberal arts foundation with a strong career orientation. This mix is designed to provide an educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the increasingly global and interdependent world.

Centenary College’s main campus is located in Hackettstown, N.J., with its equestrian facility in Washington Township. The College’s Centenary Adult and Professional Studies (CAPS) program offers accelerated degree completion programs in Parsippany, with an additional facility in Iselin, and at corporate sites throughout New Jersey.