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Horses & Horizons Therapeutic Learning Center, Inc. (HHTLC) is a 501(c)(3) registered non-profit organization, which was founded in 1993. It is located at Helping Horse Farm, in a beautiful farming valley between the towns of Tamaqua and New Ringgold in eastern Pennsylvania. HHTLC is staffed entirely by volunteers. Harvey and Elaine Smith own the farm and facilitate the riding program. Both are therapeutic riding instructors, as well as Centered Riding Instructors. In addition to teaching the lessons, the Smiths also care for the program’s horses and maintain the facility. The Smiths have been involved with therapeutic horseback riding since 1985. For several years prior to founding HHTLC, they operated the eastern branch of the Schuylkill County Therapeutic Riding Program. Harvey is a licensed occupational therapist. Our riders pay a nominal fee, and we provide half-scholarships on a first-come basis for those in need of financial assistance. We cover most of our operating expenses with proceeds from various fund raising activities and donations. Lessons are held on Monday and Wednesday evenings from the beginning of
May through the end of October. Although everyone prefers to ride
outside, our indoor arena allows us to continue with lessons during
inclement weather. We hold two eight-week sessions, Spring & Summer, and
one seven-week session in the Fall. We welcome children and adults of
all ages who have a wide variety of physical, mental, and emotional
disabilities. These include, but are not limited to, cerebral palsy,
mental retardation, autism, Down Syndrome, blindness, ADHD, and
developmental delays. Riders, who are able to assist with the grooming and preparation of their horse as part of their lesson, ride in a one-hour group lesson. Helping with the horse provides an opportunity for improvement of their gross and fine motor skills, the learning of delay of gratification, a feeling of accomplishment, attention to task, and a sense of caring for the horse. It also gives the rider the opportunity to interact with their helpers. Those riders who are too disabled to help prepare their horse for the lesson, receive a half-hour private lesson mounted on the horse. Riders must have a prescription for therapeutic horseback riding and a signed release from their doctor. Before being accepted by HHTLC, each rider is evaluated by our physical or occupational therapist to assess his or her specific needs and to set individual goals. NOTE: Two years old is usually the youngest age for a rider. Otherwise, it is not age, but weight which is the limiting factor for our riders. Balancing a normally functioning rider is difficult for a horse and riders with disabilities have balance problems, proving an even greater challenge. Since some of the best therapy horses are somewhat advanced in age, we find it necessary to have a weight limit of 150 pounds for our riders. If you are interested in enrolling a rider in HHTLC’s lesson program, contact Harvey or Elaine Smith at (570)-386-5679, or email Elaine at elshhtlc@ptd.net. Horses & Horizons
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