Green Chimneys, a residential center for emotionally disturbed and learning disabled children in New York, uses farm animals in the treatment program. Children learn horseback riding, animal husbandry, gardening, and farming on a working farm. The program seeks to involve the community and provide training to volunteers, interns, and learning disabled adolescents. The experience with animals and with the farm is seen to be therapeutic, involve students with others in a purposeful way, and help establish a sense of responsibility. Staff is careful to discuss issues of separation or death of an animal. Horseback riding offers a sense of risk at the same time as opportunities for self confidence building. (CL)