{"id":78134,"date":"2017-07-20T10:16:04","date_gmt":"2017-07-20T14:16:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=78134"},"modified":"2018-06-18T14:45:29","modified_gmt":"2018-06-18T18:45:29","slug":"partnership-horse-therapy-center-receives-international-stamp-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/partnership-horse-therapy-center-receives-international-stamp-excellence\/","title":{"rendered":"Partnership Horse-Therapy Center Receives International Stamp of Excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"
The Osceola Equestrian Therapy Center, a partnership with the UCF College of Medicine, Osceola County and the McCormick Research Institute, was recently named a premier accredited center by the leading credentialing organization for equine-therapy facilities.<\/p>\n
The recognition by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International, means the center demonstrates the highest industry standards and makes it eligible to other research funding. Early research of the work being done with veterans and horses has already shown success in helping those with PTSD and movement disorders.<\/p>\n
The center, the first of its type in the nation to be built from the ground up and the only one in the nation led with help from a medical school, has state-of-the-art facilities that include a covered ring, air-conditioned meeting rooms, and special grooming and tacking areas at Chisholm Park. The facility allows staff to provide therapy to veterans and others year-round.<\/p>\n
Dr. Manette Monroe, a lifelong horsewoman and associate professor of pathology at UCF\u2019s medical school, leads the research efforts on therapeutic benefits for veterans, as well as for autistic children, patients with movement disorders and physical challenges.<\/p>\n
The center has helped more than 85 veterans since the partnership with UCF began in 2012. They include veterans such as Kelly Smith of \u00a0St. Cloud, who was injured while serving in the Middle East. At first, she was skeptical about what horses could do for her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I lost my arm (in combat) I had a pretty tough time of it,\u201d Smith said. \u201cIt was not so much the loss of my arm, but it was more so having to get out so early in my career, adjusting to life back from tour and adjusting to my family and kids. I had a lot of attitude and anger-management problems.\u201d<\/p>\n