HORSE CONNECTIONS, Inc.
Aries and Instructor Simone Mazzeo We are a group of dedicated individuals who started this operation as an all volunteer program, even our horses are volunteers from the Rockin' Horse Farm lesson program. www.rockinhorsefarm.org We are growing and becoming a self sustaining program that provides a valuable service to the community. We love what we do, we love helping people with special needs and we love helping horses too. Our Program Plans
Executive director, Amy Baird envisioned a riding program that would help those with disabilities, and so after some research she started as a small program with just two riders in September 2007. She used her own facility and horses from her able bodied riding program to get underway, and wow are we growing now. We have served over 35 riders and their families, just in our first year. In the beginning Amy not only taught the classes, but started and set up the non-profit organization and handled all of the administrative duties. We now have a wonderful team of volunteers and a wonderful instructor for our classes.
Our program includes Therapeutic Horsemanship and Riding Lessons that run on a quarterly basis. We analyze each rider individually for suitability in participating in the program, and require doctor authorization for participation. We, at this time, do not have the ability to accommodate riders in wheelchairs, but we will be working on fundraising to allow us to purchase a ramp and other equipment as well as facility improvements to serve a wider range of students. We partner with professionals to offer both Hippotherapy and Equine- Facilitated Psychotherapy. We are poised to be adding some unique and valuable programs.
We are a 501 C 3 non-profit, which will help to facilitate fundraising, and support our scholarship program and to purchase the additional tack, equipment and upgrades to the facility that will be needed. NARHA (North American riding for the Handicapped Association) oversees Instructor training and certification and oversees the center becoming a member center. This process may take several years. A therapeutic riding center’s participation in NARHA oversight is voluntary, but is the industry standard.
A ramp is needed so we can serve students who are wheelchair bound
Because this is a work in progress, we would appreciate input from the community as we develop our program. Please share with us so that we can make this the best therapeutic horsemanship & riding program we can!