THERAPEUTIC RIDING OF TUCSON INC

TROT students participate in many programs addressing multiple aspects of their daily lives. TROT aims to help individuals of all abilities reach their goals and improve their quality of life. TROT’s therapeutic programs teach horseback-riding skills, while using therapeutic activities tailored to each child’s educational, physical, social, and recreational goals. These goals are desired and achievable life goals that enhance their quality of life, such as riding a bicycle, transferring from a wheelchair to a desk at school, making a friend, fixing dinner or walking across the stage to receive a diploma.\n\nTROT is also dedicated to helping veterans and first responders address PTSD, depression, anxiety, amputations, TBI, and other conditions.

Therapeutic Riding is an activity on horseback that positively contributes to the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being of individuals with special needs. Horseback riding rhythmically moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to the movement created when walking. For individuals who are unable to walk or have difficulty walking, therapeutic riding can provide the same physical and neurological stimulation that walking would normally provide. TROT’s therapeutic riding program teaches horseback-riding skills, while using therapeutic activities tailored to each individual rider’s educational, physical, social, and recreational goals. Benefits of therapeutic riding are seen to include muscle strengthening, developed confidence and independence, improved communication skills and peer interaction, refined mood regulation, enhanced concentration and memory, and improved overall health.\n\nTROT provides a wide range of program services such as therapeutic riding, equine-facilitated psychotherapy, day camps, and volunteer opportunities. Each program is adaptable and inclusive of those who use a wheelchair and/or scooter for mobility through the use of a mechanical lift that provides a smooth, safe and efficient way to mount the horse. All therapeutic activities are designed to accommodate the diverse and unique needs of these special and underserved riders.

TROT continues to be a leader in innovative and therapeutic therapies by maintaining a distinguished title of a Premier Accredited Center by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH), International. This distinction is highly respected as only 15% of PATH’s 850 accredited centers globally have achieved this level of accreditation. TROT is proud to be the only premier accredited program providing life-changing services for children and adults with special needs in the Greater Tucson area.\nAs a recognized Premiere Accredited Center through the PATH, TROT is held to the highest standards. Every year, the TROT staff reviews over three hundred standards to verify that we are meeting all the criteria to maintain our status. As a PATH Premiere Accredited Center, the entire operation (programs, property and administration) undergoes a thorough audit every five years to ensure that all of the required standards are met.  Additionally, TROT's instructors are certified through PATH and are required to complete a minimum of twenty continuing education hours annually on a variety of topics including: disability and mental health education, equine welfare, and advanced horsemanship training.

TROT continues to empower the most vulnerable individuals in our community to live life without barriers. TROT serves over 250 individuals each year. These individuals have seen improvement and growth in their strength, balance, cognition, mood regulation, mobility and independence, general healthy improvements and more. Many children have observable improvement in vocalization, communication skills, positive behaviors, less anxiety, improved self-advocacy, improved relationship with family and peers, increased ability to sequence, attention and focus, and increased problem solving skills.