FEI Honors Equestrian Stars for Serving as Pillars of Mental Health Support for Troubled Youth

Equestrian isn’t always about maintaining the perfect body posture while gliding across the ring. Sometimes, the equine activities can also act as a mode of escape from the mental troubles that bog us down. At the 2023 London International Horse Show, the regal horses stole the show with their grooves. Along with that, the FEI also nodded its hats to the remarkable efforts of the Canadian therapeutic equestrian stars for their role in helping troubled youth find their way.

Equestrian is considered among the most elite sports in the world. Riders and horses get on the perfect wavelength to show their skills on the court. However, horses aren’t just rides for many prominent stars of the sport and they often revolve their lives around their four-legged companions. In the recent event, this aspect was highlighted as His Majesty’s horses made the attendees glee.

Equestrian program paves the way for mental health

FEI has rolled out a new program entitled Ride to showcase the mesmerizing spectacle that is equestrian. In the latest episode (RIDE OUT NOW), the King’s troops make it a point to highlight their disciplined grace. Along with their Musical Drive performance, the episode also thanked the Princes of Peace, a Canadian project to help troubled youngsters get back to a normal social life.

The Princes of Peace has been deemed as “an equine heaven for at-risk youth” in Canada. The Jewel View facility of the Tuff Therapeutic Riding Foundation helps young adults deal with their hang-ups with its 10-week program. The youths can get acquainted with multiple horses during the program and learn about horsemanship.

Ellen Downey has led the program to help at-risk youngsters for two decades and she believes horses and young people have more things in common than we believe. The therapeutic riding program helps those in need to find their bearings and get back to being productive members of society.

Extra love for more long-standing companionship

Along with a homage to the groundbreaking work of Downey and the Princes of Peace of the Tuff Therapeutic Riding Foundation, the latest FEI Ride episode also showcased some jaw-dropping discipline by the King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery. In the episode, the regal horses show why they are of paramount importance to the people fighting for their cause on the battlefield.

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While the Princes of Peace and the Royal horses were hailed for their work to preserve human life, the episode also didn’t forget to bend the knee in front of the agricultural aids of the Iberian Peninsula. The Lusitano have been helping farmers grow crops in Portugal for thousands of years and FEI also gave them the limelight that they have long deserved.

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