The Ohio Department of Youth Services has awarded Jackson County Juvenile Court $20,000.00 to contract with local organizations for the provision of Pro-Social Activities for at-risk youth. As a result of the grant award, Juvenile Court entered an agreement with Stargazey’s Equine Therapy Pony Club located on Fairgreens Road between Jackson and Wellston.

Stargazey Equine Therapy is a 501(C)(3) organization founded by Ms. Honor Read dedicated to teaching students about horses, the care they require, and the industry itself. This is all in service of the following objectives:

• Spreading the word about the magic of equestrian activity, inspiring new generations to get involved with horses.
• Raising standards of equine care, and welfare leading to the next generation of competent and knowledgeable equestrians.
• Enabling our students to be better, kinder and more disciplined people who can be proud ambassadors for the equine world.

Pony Club is built around the idea of hands-on learning and allows students to truly connect with the ponies they work with each week. Each module promotes students’ learning new skills, knowledge, and gives them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned at our testing sessions. Students who successfully complete a testing session are decorated with a certificate for their module. In addition to the equine-based skills and knowledge they learn, students work in small groups which promote interpersonal skills which they can use outside of the arena, and apply to other areas of their lives. Students have the opportunity to learn to work as a team, communicate with peers, problem solve, and help others (the animals, students, and their community).