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Surrounded by equestrian gear, championship ribbons, photos of some her brightest students and the beautiful landscape at Evermore Farm just outside of Statesboro, it\u2019s easy to see why Eleanor Ellis\u2019 love of horses is contagious \u2014 even for those who have never experienced horseback riding in any form.<\/p>\n
\u201cI call it \u2018the gene.\u2019 I have the horse-loving gene,\u201d Ellis said. And for as long as she can remember, the adjunct professor has been sharing that love for all things equestrian with her students. Georgia Southern students, in particular, may visit her facility to earn course credit as part of the Physical Activity and Healthful Living (PAHL) program offered by the School of Health and Kinesiology. PAHL courses are basic curriculum requirements for all students.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of students don\u2019t have that \u2018horse-loving gene,\u2019 as I call it. They\u2019re not passionate about horses. They just want to take a fun class,\u201d said Ellis. \u201cWhat\u2019s surprising to me is a lot of them have never touched a horse, and some have a pretty big fear of horses. I think it\u2019s very bold and brave of somebody to come in and do something for a grade that they\u2019re afraid of doing and is a challenge for them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Learning to ride with Ellis involves much more than just getting on a horse. The equestrian courses range from beginner to intermediate, and students learn the basics of handling equipment, riding, dismounting and working with horses among other skills. She added that students also learn leadership and communication skills, develop balance and an overall sense of their bodies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis isn\u2019t like tennis or basketball or other sports. Riding horses is different,\u201d she said. \u201cWhen you\u2019re riding a horse, you are the boss of that horse, and that doesn\u2019t come naturally to everyone. The horse wants a leader. That\u2019s why this is so positive for young people. They learn to communicate in such a way that another living being does what you want it to do.\u201d<\/p>\n
The course is offered throughout the year and is open to riders of all levels and experience. – Aubrey Trevathan<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Kinesiology 1216\/ Equestian<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2809,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[47],"class_list":["post-2683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-spring-2015"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t