Office of Vocational Rehab

At Shady Hollow Assisted Riding, we recognize that not all students thrive in traditional classroom settings. Our program provides a unique opportunity for students to engage in supported work experiences where they can practice essential life skills in a safe, nurturing environment. By interacting with animals, students shift their focus from themselves to the well-being of the animals, making challenging tasks such as measuring, cleaning, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving more approachable. Our program encourages students to take risks, build confidence, and work towards greater independence. With a tailored approach, we can even align the experiences with school curriculums when provided with two weeks' notice.

During the three-hour experience, students will engage with daily farm chores that focus on life skills such as self-advocacy, self-care, teamwork, problem solving and time management. These tasks help students draw parallels between their needs and those of the animals, deepening their understanding of self-care and responsibility. Students will observe professionals in their natural environments allowing them to ask questions as the professionals do their work. At times students will be able to practice those skills they just observed to build their confidence in trying new things in a safe atmosphere where making mistakes and growing is okay.  

30 hour experience with a minimum of a 3 hour visit. Schools can determine how often they want to schedule a program (once, twice, or 3 times per week) 30 hours must be completed within 90 days of start date. 

Academic lessons are taken from: Career Exploration and Habits, then modified to tie in with farm based learning for more hands-on experiences and less paper pencil/technology based lessons.

Job Exploration

Group Shadow

Self Advocacy

Workplace Readiness 

If you are interested in utilizing these programs, please contact the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation. All scheduling goes through them. You can mention our program as the one you are interested in! Click here to find your local OVR office.