A sensory riding trail is a rich learning environment of woodland paths that consist of slopes, turns, varied footing, natural sights and sounds, and man-made “sensory experiences.” This environment challenges the riders’ balance, stimulates their senses and encourages them to interact with the world around them.
Sensory experiences are themed stopping points along the trail that offer riders the opportunity to see, hear, smell, touch and talk about the items they encounter. Located in an expansive woodland area at the northeast corner of Pegasus Farm’s 20-acre property, our sensory trail includes a wide variety of these experiences.
For example, riders encounter artistically rendered animals hidden among the trees that they can locate and identify. The most prominent creature is "Rocky," a huge boulder transformed into a turtle by talented local artist Siri Kent. To see Rocky's "evolution," click the slide show below:
The Pegasus sensory trail also features a series of herb plantings whose aromas and textures engage riders’ senses of smell and touch. The herbs also provide opportunities to talk about cooking and other everyday household activities.
Music and sound are very important sensory stimuli, and the Pegasus trail contains a number of interactive bells and chimes amid the foliage.
Ball-filled nets and other games create great opportunities for riders to reach and stretch, which also helps improve balance and hand-eye coordination.
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Coming soon are a group of “woodland houses” containing interesting objects to examine and discuss. The houses were built by some of our young friends at Green Chimneys just up the road from Pegasus Farm, and they are being painted by artist and longtime friend of Pegasus Melissa Merendino. CLICK HERE for Melissa's bio.
Melissa also painted a number of beautiful birdhouses, which were built by students at B.O.C.E.S. and have taken up residence on the hill that leads up to the head of the sensory trail.
While navigating the trail, riders are not only invited to stop and encounter the sensory experiences, they must also concentrate on riding itself: steering the horse, maintaining proper positioning, transitioning into a half-seat when riding up an incline or stepping over logs, and leaning back in the saddle when riding down a hill. These activities address the rider’s balance, visual skills, left/right discrimination and language proficiency. In combination with the sensory experiences, these challenging equestrian components make riding the sensory trail a comprehensive activity.
Influenced by Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken, Pegasus intends to develop an innovative sensory trail that, with the help of our community, will provide unmatched therapeutic benefits for our riders. Instructors currently include trail riding in their sessions whenever appropriate, and the activity is clearly a rider favorite.
