Moore County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) invites interested horse lovers to Prancing Horse's semi-annual volunteer orientation and training. Prancing Horse is a center for therapeutic horseback riding, located in Cameron.

Riding a horse is an enjoyable experience for many people, but for an individual with a disability it can be much more. Each year people with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities discover the benefits of therapeutic horseback riding.

Whether it's a five-year-old with Downs Syndrome or a 45-year-old recovering from a spinal cord injury, horseback riding builds self-esteem, helps increase mobility, and provides a chance to participate in an activity outside a therapist's office that is fun.

Each school year, Prancing Horse Therapeutic Horseback Riding Center provides hours of therapy free of charge to Moore County public school students with impairments.

Volunteers assist the instructor by walking beside the horses as the students ride. They also lead the horses around the ring but do not ride themselves.

Interested in spending a couple of hours a week with a horse and child who could benefit from your kindness? Attend one of two orientation sessions scheduled for Monday, Jan. 29, or Tuesday, Jan. 30. Orientation begins at 10 a.m. and wraps up at 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

"You'll see the farm where students receive therapy, meet some of the gentle horses, and make a new friend or two," says a spokesman. "No previous horse experience required."

Moore County RSVP is committed to supporting volunteerism in Moore County. RSVP assists more than 35 non-profit agencies with recruiting, training, and recognizing their valuable volunteers. It also help adults, age 55 or older, find ways to invest their time and energy in enjoyable, meaningful activities that not only benefit the community, but also keep then active and productive citizens.

For more information on how you can put your skills to work to make a difference in Moore County, contact Ruth Anne Murphy, RSVP Director, at 947-6395 or rmurphy@moorecounty nc.gov.