THE BRADY RIDING PROGRAM, a horse therapy nonprofit organization, partnered with San Francisco Zoo and Gardens on Tuesday for Neurodiversity Celebration Week.
Children with special needs, neurodivergent people, and families are invited to experience what zoo officials and Brady staff call the first equine-assisted therapy program inside an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility.
“This inspiring and impactful community program is part of our overall mission to connect people with animals in innovative ways,” said Cassandra Costello, CEO and executive director of the San Francisco Zoological Society, the nonprofit that oversees the zoo. “Horses can connect with humans on a different level, with an innate way of calming individuals by their very nature, sparking joy and a general sense of well-being.”
The horse therapy organization began working from inside the San Francisco Zoo in 2018, eventually expanding their programming from one day a week to seven, year-round. The organization works as a third party associated with the zoo, where people are invited to pet horses, ride them, and learn how to interact with the animals in small group sessions.
Brady Riding Program Executive Director Sarah Meakin on Tuesday hurried around the enclosures feeding the horses, petting them, and preparing for a field trip made up of local students that was about to arrive. She said her parents founded the program in 1987 and has seen people who have personal and psychological struggles find peace when interacting with the horses.
“I’ve seen many these children come from a place of struggling to self-regulate, and after one session, they are able to self-regulate themselves more,” said Meakin. “They’re able to create a new baseline for themselves or return to a baseline that was once more peaceful.”
Meakin said horse therapy programs, like her own, help create a place of gathering, safety, love, and calm for children. Visitors pet, ride, and learn how to interact with the animals, and in doing so learn mindfulness practices that could help address mental struggles.
Six equines live at the Brady Riding Program’s stables. There are three horses named Pete, Phoebe, and Magpie who were rescued, and Lola, who was donated by a supporter.
Two Shetland ponies, Tallulah and Toby, were adopted together and have their own enclosure next to their larger counterparts.
San Francisco Zoo spokesperson Nancy Chan said the partnership between the zoo and the Brady Riding Program could be scalable to other facilities looking to do the similar meaningful community work.
“Something like this, it really ties us to San Francisco,” said Chan. “It ties us to the community in a whole new way. The zoo has always been inclusive and accommodating for our guests and it could be a blueprint or a model for other zoos.”
For more information on how to attend the program or volunteer, visit bradyriding.org.