COLORADO SPRINGS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER
The Ultimate Horse Power
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our biggest challenge is to keep finding the financial resources to replenish our Financial Support Fund. Our Financial Support Fund was conceived in 2009 to help the families of our riders who have difficulty paying the full therapeutic riding lesson fee. This program has given CSTRC the opportunity to help our riders continue with their weekly therapeutic riding lessons and is consistent with our overall mission to never turn away a financially disadvantaged person by providing reduced lesson fees or full support as approved by our Board of Directors. As our funding increases, so does our ability to expand our Financial Support Program to a level that permits benefits to all needy riders and full payments to those with the greatest financial need.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Equine Assisted Therapies
The Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center is a nonprofit organization committed to delivering the highest quality therapeutic riding and specialized therapy to individuals with special needs. We provide equine-assisted activities to those facing physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities.
The vision of CSTRC is to offer the highest standard of equine-assisted therapies and professional services to all our special needs riders. We have riders from two years old to fifty-eight years old and each person has his/her own unique physical challenge.
The Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center (CSTRC) offers three separate equine-assisted programs, allowing us to match the rider with the program that best meets his/her needs.
• Hippotherapy is our gateway program. It teaches functional equine-assisted activities that improve life skills such as walking, dressing, speaking, and writing. These skills enable our riders to grow to their fullest attainable potential.
• Our therapeutic riding program develops more advanced horsemanship skills, which in turn promote confidence, self-sufficiency, and an improved quality of life.
• While continuing to benefit from the therapeutic benefits of riding, special needs participants in our able-bodied lessons also attain personal independence and social skills by interacting with other riders and caring for horses. They develop immense feelings of accomplishment as they gain, and then master, riding skills.
Our overall approach to evaluation includes input from parents, care-givers, medical personnel, our instructors, and our volunteers. Because each rider is so unique in their specific goals and needs, our professionally trained instructors tailor each lesson with regards to his/her individual mental, emotional and or/physical disabilities. For example, a rider with Cerebral Palsy will have a goal of standing in their stirrups for five seconds while riding the horse.
With the consistency of the weekly goals that each rider is asked to attain, we are better prepared to assess each one’s progress over longer periods of time. We evaluate and document their progress on a weekly basis. By using this method of goal setting we are able to actually follow each one’s achievements and add to or change the lesson plan according to the progress. Our instructors preplan the individual’s objectives and goals for every lesson.
Where we work
External reviews
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
The mission and vision of Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center (CSTRC) is to provide therapy for individuals that are challenged with disabilities due to incapacitating illnesses. CSTRC provides financial assistance thru our Financial Support Fund to those needy families who cannot afford our full fee for therapy.
As we continue to serve our special needs community, we will continue to have successes with each individual at their own physical and emotional level. There are no failures in equine-assisted therapies, only differences in style and application and we meet our riders where they are coming from and take them one step further on their journey in their life; no matter how small the steps may be.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Through the evidence stated in the following publication, and our own personal experience, we are completely confident that our therapies help achieve the physical, emotional and social outcomes that we desire for each of our riders. The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH, Intl.), the certifying body of our instructors, and The American Hippotherapy Association, Inc. (AHA) promote the use of the movement of the horse as a treatment strategy for people living with disabilities. In our equine-assisted therapy sessions, the movement of the horse has proven extremely effective in establishing balance, coordination, and perception. The three-dimensional movement of the horse is so like a human gait, that for those who cannot walk, it initiates the rhythm needed for their own independent steps. It has been shown to improve muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development, and emotional well-being. The movement of the horse allows our riders to achieve goals that would not otherwise be possible.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center (CSTRC) offers three separate equine-assisted programs, allowing us to match the rider with the program that best meets his/her needs.
• Hippotherapy is our gateway program. It teaches functional equine-assisted activities that improve life skills such as walking, dressing, speaking, and writing. These skills enable our riders to grow to their fullest attainable potential.
• Our therapeutic riding program develops more advanced horsemanship skills, which in turn promote confidence, self-sufficiency, and an improved quality of life.
• While continuing to benefit from the therapeutic benefits of riding, special needs participants in our able-bodied lessons also attain personal independence and social skills by interacting with other riders and caring for horses. They develop immense feelings of accomplishment as they gain, and then master, riding skills.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
CSTRC opened its doors in 2008 to those children and adults who face physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities. These individuals have challenges from mild autism, and profound cerebral palsy to fatal rare diseases. In 2008 we started with three children and now, in 2018, we are helping 170 special needs riders with our equine-assisted programs. Our special needs riders range in age from two years to 58 years old and each person has his/her own unique challenge. Through our Financial Support Fund we have financially assisted 80% of our riders by providing reduced lesson fees or full support as approved by our Board of Directors. Through our Financial Support Fund we have helped these riders maintain consistency in their therapy and an improved the quality of their lives.
The ongoing vision of CSTRC is to offer the highest standard of equine-assisted therapies and professional services to all our special needs riders and to continue to support those who need financial assistance through our Financial Support Fund.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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COLORADO SPRINGS THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER
Board of directorsas of 11/11/2018
Nancy Harrison
Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center
Bob Harrison
Colorado Springs Therapeutic Riding Center
Pat Geddes
Retired School Teacher