“When she [participant] first got on the horse, she had such poor trunk control; it is almost like she did not have the strength or stamina to hold herself upright. The last session though, she appeared more straight and strong while riding”

“After a couple weeks of the program, she [participant] was just speaking clearly; she was singing, and all the words together were making sense... many people have past experiences and memories with nature […]. it’s important for people with dementia to be provided outdoor programs as a way to reconnect with meaningful moments”

"I think the program impacts people on multiple levels… it involves an animal as another layer; and then there is the movement and socialization piece of the program. I think having this kind of recipe- those things together, I think are what makes the program so successful. I think if you took the elements apart individually you would not have that rich experience"