HEARTS THERAPEUTIC EQUESTRIAN CENTER

We empower Santa Barbara County residents with physical, cognitive, behavioral, or emotional challenges due to injury, age, illness, or disability. Working with horses significantly improves these individuals' physical and mental capacities, relationships, self-esteem, and overall health while enhancing their enjoyment of life.

Hearts uses the power of the horse to enhance the capabilities and quality of life for children and adults with special needs. The complex act of riding a horse produces significant improvements in core/trunk strength, alignment, balance, stamina, and mobility that other therapeutic means cannot achieve. Connecting with and riding horses also improves the ability to focus, verbal and non-verbal communication, socialization, mood, and confidence.

Hearts individually designs its weekly lessons to capitalize upon a rider's capabilities while improving areas of impairment. For physically challenged riders, therapeutic results include an increased ability to sit, stand or walk unassisted as well as improved coordination, flexibility, circulation, and general health. Riders with mental challenges improve attention span, ability to follow directions, communication skills, and an increased ability to process auditory and visual information. Those with emotional challenges demonstrate better control of their emotions and behavior, improved relationships, and greater self-esteem. Working alongside horses is an exhilarating and motivating experience that enhances our riders' overall happiness, health, and quality of life. In addition to our weekly lesson program, Hearts offers summer horse camps that integrate non-disabled children and those with disabilities.

Founded in 1985, Hearts has been providing therapeutic horseback riding and horsemanship activities to disabled individuals aged 4-90 for over 33 years. We have an extensive volunteer program and are committed to humane treatment and excellent care of equines who may be older, but are healthy and able to maintain productive lives as therapeutic horses. Hearts staff and volunteers are committed to providing exceptional services to increase the overall wellness of individuals with disabilities, U.S. military veterans, and at-risk youth.

In 2017, Santa Barbara County notified Hearts of its intention to create a permanent debris disposal site on the land that Hearts occupied, which the County owned. A new County-owned 3.5-acre site was identified adjacent to and up the hill from Hearts’ location. In 2018, Hearts launched a capital campaign to move its home of 23 years. The new facility was completed in October 2021, with programs operational shortly after that.

In 2022, Hearts will:
* Provide therapeutic riding to 20 weekly participants.
* Provide Equine Services for Heroes to 11 U.S. Veterans free of charge.
* Provide six week-long summer camps serving 67 unduplicated children.
* Provide tuition reductions to qualified low-income individuals.
* Provide group equine-facilitated learning programs.