April 1 MTSU CERV horse show benefits recovering veterans

Led by an MTSU horse science student mentor, a participant the Center of Equine Recovery for Veterans rides a horse named Floyd during a therapy session. The seventh annual MTSU CERV Spring Spectacular Horse Show will be held starting at 8 a.m. Sunday, April 3, in the main arena of the Tennessee Livestock Center, 1720 Greenland Drive, and benefits the veterans therapy program. (MTSU photo by Ashley Gallagher)

Mark your calendars for an upcoming MTSU-hosted horse show that supports a unique facet of health care for recovering veterans.

The eighth annual MTSU CERV Spring Spectacular Open Show, which benefits the Center of Equine Recovery for Veterans, or CERV, will be held starting at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 1, in the main arena of the Tennessee Livestock Center, 1720 Greenland Drive. The event is free to spectators.

A member of one of the Middle Tennessee State University equestrian teams carries the U.S. flag into the Tennessee Livestock Center during the opening ceremony for the CERV Spring Spectacular Open Show in April 2022.. This year’s benefit horse show will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 1, the MTSU’s Tennessee Livestock Center. (Submitted photo) — A member of one of the Middle Tennessee State University equestrian teams carries the U.S. flag into the Tennessee Livestock Center during the opening ceremony for the CERV Spring Spectacular Open Show in April 2022. This year’s benefit horse show will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 1, in MTSU’s Tennessee Livestock Center. (Submitted photo)

Andrea Rego, Instructor, MTSU School of Agriculture — Andrea Rego

The event features open divisions for all ages of riders and different levels of classes from hunter seat to Western events, said Andrea Rego, who oversees the CERV program that is a partnership between MTSU’s Horse Science Program and the VA Murfreesboro Veterans Recovery Center.

CERV offers veterans from the recovery center an opportunity to ride horses and benefit from interacting with them while MTSU students gain valuable experience in helping facilitate the sessions.

The event, which is scheduled to run until 5 p.m. with a variety of disciplines for exhibitors, will showcase MTSU alumni and current veteran participants at noon, Rego said.

For more information, visit https://cervshow.wixsite.com/cervshow.

Established in 2013, the CERV has assisted about 125 veterans with this form of therapy.

Horse science is part of the MTSU School of Agriculture in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.