Chicago agricultural magnet school introduces new horses for therapeutic riding program

CHICAGO (WLS) — It is a donation that is spurring highschool college students to an unbridled examine of horses and agriculture on Chicago’s South Aspect.

Meet Thor, Sugar and Stone, the brand new additions to Chicago Excessive College for Agricultural Sciences within the Mount Greenwood neighborhood.

“I am so pleased. It is a improbable factor. All these model new horses are going to permit extra individuals to hitch our program, be taught extra about them, like discover ways to experience them — all this different stuff,” mentioned CHSA scholar, Antonio Contreras. “I am simply so pleased we get to have all these items right here.”

Contreras, whose enthusiasm is, fairly frankly, infectious, is a junior on the Agricultural magnet highschool, the place they’ve stables, a using space and a farm – all run by college students.

“They are saying ‘Oh, you go to the farm faculty proper?’ I am like, ‘It is far more than simply farming,” he mentioned about his pals who do not go to the specialty faculty.

The three new quarter horses are going to assist the college set up a therapeutic using program for numerous learners, adults with disabilities, veterans and first responders with PTSD.

“It’s far past my expectations in how your curriculum is a university-level curriculum,” mentioned Rudy Arredondo, govt director of the Nationwide Latino Farmers and Ranchers.

Nationwide Latino Farmers and Ranchers donated the horses. Arredondo says he was impressed by the South Aspect faculty displaying younger individuals viable profession paths in agriculture, meals sciences and extra.

College students, like senior Karime Gutierrez, who desires to be a veterinarian.

“I do personal a cow [and] I examine with animals as a result of I wish to be a wiser shopper and a wiser caretaker,” Gutierrez mentioned.

She mentioned what she learns within the classroom is put to make use of instantly.

“Agriculture is simply farming, animals, crops, nevertheless it’s a lot extra as a result of you then be taught right here within the faculty the manufacturing. How from farm to desk precisely the way it precisely is,” she mentioned.

It is one thing Principal Invoice Hook is happy with.

“It is meals science, it is equine science, it is commodities,” Hook mentioned. “There are such a lot of alternatives, the youngsters don’t know! “

Principal Hook mentioned Thor, Sugar, Stone, in addition to the college’s first horse Felice, might be prepared to begin the therapeutic using program in only a few months.