Michael McGrady, 24, lives with a rare and often painful neurological disorder and never thought his dream of working with horses would come true. But earlier this month, that all changed, when Colorado State University’s Temple Grandin Equine Center in north Denver hired McGrady to assist with the facility’s upkeep each Monday.
CSU's Temple Grandin Equine Center in north Denver hosted an Open House on March 16 to provide a window for the community into the programs and activities that will continue growing as plans for the future National Western Center progress. More than 50 community members joined in celebrating the positive impact of equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) on individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities.
For the past three years, Colorado State University has hosted a clubhouse at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science's annual Girls & Science event, a fun-filled day focused on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) career exploration and mentorship for kids, mostly between eight and 13 years old.
The 16-day National Western Stock Show is filled with action-packed rodeos, stimulating exhibits and myriad vendors, all celebrating America's Western heritage. The Exceptional Rodeo, now in its 35th year, adds a particularly special element to the Stock Show's lineup each year, delivering a firsthand rodeo experience to children with physical and developmental disabilities.
On March 17, more than 20 students with cognitive disabilities and affective needs from Denver Public School’s Bruce Randolph, joined an orientation at the Temple Grandin Equine Center in North Denver to prepare them for equine activities every Friday through the end of their school year.
A Temple Grandin Equine Center is planned as part of the National Western Center, but equine assisted therapies and activities (EAAT) – which are utilized for a wide range of health conditions and special challenges – will begin in Denver in early 2017.
Avelyn Munoz sat excitedly in her fringe cowboy boots on Tuesday morning at the National Western Stock Show. She didn’t know what to expect when she went into the arena, but she knew it was the day she would become a cowgirl.