Riding with HEART

The mission of Riding with HEART is to improve the quality of life of physically and cognitively challenged adults, children, and their families, and to provide youth development through our diverse equine-assisted programs.

By following the above Riding with HEART's Mission Statement, we will continue to serve every individual within our community who could benefit from our services. Our goal is to identify and reach out to a larger population of individuals who would benefit from our program.

By offering a wide range of equine-assisted activities, individuals and their families have a calm, therapeutic environment to safely partner with horses, compassionate instructors, and equine specialists. By growing and expanding our equine-assisted services, Riding with HEART will increase the quality of life for even more participants.

As the community's needs evolve, Riding with HEART's key strategy is to grow and expand the program offerings to meet these needs. Equine-assisted activities can be customized to address the specific goals of the participant or group more

In addition, Riding with HEART is actively expanding our herd of therapeutic horses so the disposition, size, age, and particular skills of each horse can be of the most therapeutic value to each participant.

Within the next three years, a covered round pen is going to be built so lessons will be available no matter the weather. The size and shape of a round pen are particularly suited to participants with sensory issues. A second riding ring allows us to teach multiple lessons without having too many riders in a single arena. Fewer participants alleviate the stress of multiple riders, volunteers, horses, and instructors in a single time slot.

Another goal for 2021, is to hire two additional instructors. A Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor can teach at least four sessions per day. With a larger pool of instructors, the Riding with HEART Program could increase just the therapeutic riding component of the program by approximately 30 percent.

Lastly, the budget for professional development has increased. Highly qualified, knowledgeable instructors, and dedicated volunteers are the backbone of an equine-assisted therapeutic program.

Riding with HEART is capable of meeting its goals by:

Having multiple PATH* Certified Therapeutic Instructors and Equine Specialists on staff
Requiring instructors to attend training, workshops, and clinics throughout the year
Offering Hippotherapy by a licensed and credentialed Occupational Therapist
Having a healthy herd of safe, well-trained therapy horses
Maintaining a pool of dedicated, educated, and safety-conscious volunteers
Allowing for physical program growth with 30 acres of Green Acres Preserved Farmland that has a 30 stall barn
Backing by a mission-driven Board of Directors
Seeking financial support from individuals, corporations, and foundations
Working closely with the local community through education, services, and communication
Partnering with local organizations to foster mutually beneficial activities
Keeping the Premier Accreditation status through PATH* International

*Riding with HEART is a PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) Premier Accredited Center. PATH International is regarded worldwide as an exceptional organization for accrediting therapeutic riding centers and certifying instructors and equine specialists.

Riding with HEART has added more specialized programs increasing the number of participants we are able to serve. Since 2019, programs that are new or have experienced significant growth include:

At-risk youth sessions, children from underserved communities, and families navigating the foster care system just to name a few. In addition, we are training instructors in the Horse Powered Reading program as well as Social Skills sessions for autistic children.

The existing office was split to create a classroom for equine-assisted learning.

A new program has begun for veterans and first responders called BraveHEARTs. This program is provided at zero cost to participants. This includes a summer BraveHEARTS camp.

Goals for the next two years are to add programs for large groups from schools and organizations that are populated by special needs students and underprivileged families.

We are actively recruiting a credentialed Hippotherapist (OT) and a licensed therapist to provide equine-facilitated psychotherapy.

A covered round pen for riding and horsemanship sessions is in the beginning stages. This structure will provide a suitable place to teach riders, hold ground sessions, and will serve as a quiet, private location for equine-facilitated psychotherapy following HIPPA guidelines.

Finally, an obstacle course is in the process of construction for both ground and mounted confidence-building sessions.