Enid Buzz | Tuesday, October 4, 2016
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ENID, Okla. - The Sooner SUCCESS Coalition will host "Family Day" at Bennie's Barn along with the official Grand Opening and ribbon cutting of Oklahoma’s only Equine Sensory Trail. This will be held October 8 from 10:00am to 2:00pm at 4914 E. Rupe. The public is invited for food, friends, fun, train rides, horse drawn buggy rides, sensory trails, and so much more!
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Adults and children will be able to discover their five senses using this trail. Guided by a lead walker and instructor they will take a journey through the wilderness and stop along 12 sensory stations set up. Each station is different, allowing the rider to further develop their skills.
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Being outdoors naturally arouses our senses. The sound of rustling leaves, a gentle breeze blowing on your the face, the rhythmic clomping of horse hooves, the smell of pine needles, a squirrel running up a tree--all of these sensations stimulate the brain. Furthermore, as the horse walks on uneven ground, the rider’s balance and positioning are challenged. Now imagine enhancing the rider’s experience by incorporating sensory stations. For example, the “Bedlam Toss” station provides an opportunity for a rider to use upper body motor planning to catch and throw. A variety of ball sizes, textures and colors adds to the challenge. An even more complex station, is the “Noodle Pass”, which is comprised of foam pipe insulators strung in multiple rows between pvc pipes for the rider to ride through.
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The sensory trail benefits riders on many levels and allows instructors to measure benefits with clear-cut objectives. For instance, to improve bilateral coordination, riders need to independently steer to the 12 activity stations. To enhance visual tracking, instructors have the rider turn his or her head at least three out of four times prior to executing a turn. To develop better left/right discrimination, the instructor asks the rider to move in the requested direction four out of five times.
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The goal is to ensure that the rider can maintain correct postural alignment for 80 percent of the time. This opportunity through the sensory trail will also improve a rider’s language skills by increasing both expressive language and appropriate social interaction. Simply by asking the rider to identify six objects on the trail- this encourages the use of three-word responses or being able to tell a three-sentence story about one of the objects. It’s a learning experience that changes each time they ride, creating more excitement for their learning.
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The sensory trail is a collaborative effort to best help any individual with a sensory disorder. Whether that person has been identified through Bennie's Barn or from the other organizations through the Sooner Success Coalition, they have identified there is a real need. Organizers say, "We have identified which stations will best keep the rider engaged and to help progress in their experiencing the five humans senses."
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Save the date for December 17, 2016 for the 3rd Annual "Sleigh Rides With Santa" at Bennie's Barn!
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Sensory Trail Family Fun Day
