By Heidi Homa, Arizona Republic

A therapeutic horse-riding center in Desert Hills in the Northeast Valley, is looking for special needs students. The Merry Go Round, Inc. works with students who have emotional, cognitive or physical disabilities, providing therapy through interactions with horses, said Teeka Leone, the center’s director and president.

Leone is a certified instructor of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, and says she has run the center, 38240 N 25th Ave. by the guidelines and safety regulations of the association.

The students aren’t just propped on a horse, Leone said, we also teach theory in a classroom. Students ages 5 and older can learn about feeding, grooming and caring for horses, as well as the anatomy of the animal.

Certified instructors teach by creating art projects and crafting things like horse ears to demonstrate the difference between mad, sad and happy ears. Students also practice hand-eye coordination, balance, muscle control, listening skills, following directions, and relationship building.

http://www.themerrygoround.org