On Saturday, November 7, sixteen students from Central Catholic’s Guardian Angels showed up at Saddle Light Center in Selma to donate their time and effort in support of this amazing and worthwhile organization.

The boys that showed were put to work right away, and performed a number of tasks that kept them busy for over two hours. They were tasked with sweeping each of the cinder block stall walls from top to bottom to rid them of dust. The volunteers also removed and cleaned all of the water troughs in each stall, and also raked and cleaned up loose hay and grass from the area.

The Saddle Light Center is a non-profit organization that offers professional equine therapy to the disabled population of a wide range of ages in the San Antonio area to improve both their self-esteem and quality of life.

Through the use of  ‘therapy horses’, Saddle Light is able, through “Therapeutic Riding” techniques, to improve riding skills for disabled persons; this can be achieved through stretches, exercises and balance activities.

For over fifteen years, Central Catholic’s Guardian Angels have been putting in volunteer hours at Saddle Light Center. As Moderator Mr. James Bendele describes the history of the relationship: “Around 15 years ago, we had a remarkable woman named Terrie Carter who worked as our publicist here at Central. One day she asked me if the Guardian Angels would be interested in volunteering at the Saddle Light Center.  As it turned out, Terrie was one of their regular volunteers and she had a true LOVE for horses.  The first couple of years we volunteered at the Saddle Light Center Terrie would show up with donuts for all the boys! It was because of her that we got involved volunteering at the Saddle Light Center.”

From the Saddle Light Center website at https://thesaddlelightcenter.com:

“More about Therapeutic Riding

• Adapted recreational horseback riding lessons.
• Therapeutic riding is recreational horseback riding lessons adapted to individuals with disabilities.
• It is completed by a certified therapeutic horseback riding instructor in conjunction with volunteers.
• In Therapeutic Riding, the individual is often taught riding lessons in a group format, which runs in “sessions.” The instructor must respond to the group as a whole, in addition to fostering individual success.
• There is occasional hands-on assistance by the riding instructor and/or volunteers, but the instructor usually teaches from the center of the arena.
• Horse used for Therapeutic Riding instruction have been screened to make sure they have the appropriate temperament for this job.
• In Therapeutic Riding, the emphasis is on proper riding position and reining skills, not functional therapeutic goals.
• Because Therapeutic Riding is an adaptive/recreational sport/activity, it is not covered by insurance.”

For a brief lesson on how amazing and important horse are, please take a look at this short video that was put together by Mr. Bendele, Science Department Head and moderator of the Guardian Angels:

And for additional images from the morning’s labor of love, please see the following link to the Google Photos album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/nBxpggL3AfxwdyPn6