THE SHANE CENTER FOR THERAPRUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INC

The Shane Center’s vision is to provide sustainable, exceptional equine programs that remain responsive to community needs, which are collaborative with community partners, and progressive in standards and effectiveness. From its humble beginnings 27 years ago, Willow Farm has evolved into a beautiful therapeutic equestrian facility due to the efforts of the board members, the staff, the volunteers, and the families whose lives we touch. It is widely recognized that equine-assisted activities and therapies have positive benefits on the physical, emotional, social, cognitive, behavioral and educational well being of people with disabilities. Equine-assisted activities provide benefits that participants cannot typically receive through other therapies. Therapeutic riding encourages the rider to use his/her entire body to guide and control the horse as well as maintain balance. In addition to these physical requirements, an emotional bond also develops between the horse and rider. Our goal is to provide the highest quality professional equestrian activities in a rural, country setting long after its founders have retired.

The Shane Center believes in offering the highest quality, progressive programs. We are always trying to make our best even better. We are never satisfied with the status quo. This type of community investment requires strong stewardship. This is why we have chosen to go through a stringent peer review process and in 2014, we obtained the highest status in our field of a "Premier Accredited Center" through PATH, International. Our program policies ensure that the center is operating as an efficient and effective steward of its resources. We require all of our instructors to be professionally certified, which includes continuing education. All of our staff and volunteers must complete a fingerprint background check. We spend the necessary time recruiting and training our volunteers so they take “ownership” of the center. This is why our board members are “hands on”; volunteering in the arena, at fundraising events, and cultivating potential donors. Our center is proud to invest in a positive and progressive horse training program, provide as natural a setting as possible to keep the living environment for the horses stress free and conducive for their physical and mental well-being. Such an environment makes for safer, happier, healthier partners (our equines) ready to interact with our precious participants.

Situated on 40 acres, The Shane Center has great potential for providing a relaxing, quiet venue for participants and their families to enjoy away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Our programs go beyond riding as we teach all of our students the basics of horse care with an emphasis on safety and handling the horse on the ground. Instructors work with participants one-on-one to establish short and long term goals that ensure the rider receives a fulfilling experience tailored to his or her needs. Individualized curriculum is developed to complement the lesson and focuses on building critical skills unique to each rider.

Currently, The Shane Center has four Path International professional Certified instructors, and collectively, bring over 57 years of experience. The Shane Center has mentored dozens of individuals who have gone on to become certified and are teaching in other facilities throughout Ohio. The addition of certified instructors will allow us to increase the number of individuals we can serve, in response to the needs of our community.

As we approach our third decade of providing high quality programing to our community, we have a new understanding of just how resilient and fortunate our organization is. As is true for the entire world, the current pandemic has made a new “normal” for us all. The past year has presented us with what seemed insurmountable challenges. Our community of donors, volunteers, board of directors, and staff rallied together, and we met those challenges, one by one, making changes and adjustments where needed in order to continue serving the most vulnerable people in our community . In 2020, The Shane Center provided three types of program services: Therapeutic Riding, Horsin’ Around, and Shane’s Cavalry; we engaged 29 volunteers, and served 45 participants. Our horses collectively stepped into a riding lesson over 600 times in 2020 offering a much needed sense of normalcy. Our special needs population has suffered greatly mentally, physically, and emotionally due to lack of activities during this difficult time. The active participation involved in therapeutic horseback riding improves the physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being of our participants. The Shane Center has been a staple in the community for 28 years and we will do our part to bring healing, strength, and growth to a population whose lives have been turned upside down during this pandemic.