Location: Oologah, Oklahoma, United States
Bit by Bit is a nonprofit therapeutic riding program in Oologah, Oklahoma, and the premier equine-assisted activities center in northeast Oklahoma. Founded in 1997 by Linda Barron on the campus of Rogers State University in Claremore, the program has grown substantially over the decades, relocating to Oologah and expanding to serve more than 70 riders per year.
Today, it operates with nearly 20 therapy horses, over 150 volunteers, and a PATH International member center designation, serving children and adults with a wide range of physical, cognitive, emotional, and behavioral needs.
About This Program
Bit by Bit was built on the conviction that a connection with a horse can reach people in ways that conventional therapies sometimes cannot. Riders who come with speech delays, mobility challenges, sensory difficulties, or emotional dysregulation frequently make gains through their time in the saddle that neither they nor their families expected. The program has documented cases of children who began speaking more clearly and more often after forming a bond with a therapy horse — outcomes that have moved family members deeply and drawn attention from local media.
The approach centers on individualized lesson plans that use the natural movement of the horse to engage the rider’s body, while the relationship between rider and animal fosters confidence, communication, and emotional regulation. Grooming and tacking are built into the experience, teaching riders about horse care and responsibility alongside the riding work itself.
Bit by Bit partners with Subrosa Mental Services to expand the range of clinical support available to participants, and the program has active plans to develop a trauma-informed component specifically designed for at-risk youth. This would use the herd as a resource for creating safety, building co-regulation, and developing connected relationships for young people who have experienced significant adversity.
The program also offers vocational training, facility rentals, and horse boarding services, all of which help support the financial sustainability of the organization. Running the facility costs between $20,000 and $25,000 per month — not including the cost of lessons themselves — making ongoing donor support essential to the program’s continued operation.
Services Offered
- Therapeutic horseback riding
- Grooming and tacking instruction
- Vocational training
- Trauma-informed equine program for at-risk youth (in development)
- Partnership programming with Subrosa Mental Services
- School system partnerships (Oologah-Talala public schools)
- Horse boarding and facility rental
Who They Serve
Bit by Bit may be a good fit for:
- Children and adults with disabilities
- Individuals with autism spectrum disorder
- Individuals with cerebral palsy
- Individuals with Down syndrome
- Individuals with ADD or other hyperactivity disorders
- Individuals with speech impairment or communication challenges
- Individuals with learning disabilities
- Individuals with spinal cord injury or spina bifida
- Individuals with muscular dystrophy
- Individuals with head trauma or brain injury
- Individuals with hearing or visual impairment
- Individuals with PTSD
- Individuals with emotional, behavioral, or mental health conditions
- Individuals with genetic conditions or disorders
- Individuals with terminal illness
- Amputees
- At-risk youth
Facility and Setting
Bit by Bit operates at 14674 US-169 in Oologah, Oklahoma, in Rogers County in the northeastern part of the state. The facility includes indoor and outdoor riding venues, stabling for nearly 20 therapy horses, boarding accommodations, and rentable pavilion and arena space. The rural setting provides a calm, open environment well suited to the kind of focused, relational work that defines the program.
- Oologah, Oklahoma location (Rogers County)
- 14674 US-169, Oologah, OK 74053
- Indoor and outdoor arenas
- Horse boarding and hotel services
- PATH International member center
- 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
- Over 150 active volunteers
What Makes Them Unique
Bit by Bit carries nearly three decades of history in northeast Oklahoma, a region where access to specialized therapeutic services can be limited. That longevity, combined with its partnership with the local school district and its growing clinical collaboration with Subrosa Mental Services, reflects a program that has worked hard to embed itself in its community rather than operate in isolation.
The program’s forthcoming trauma-informed program for at-risk youth signals a meaningful evolution in scope. Rather than limiting its work to traditional therapeutic riding populations, Bit by Bit is preparing to reach young people whose needs are shaped more by adverse experiences than by diagnosed disabilities — a direction that reflects both the growing recognition of trauma’s impact on development and the program’s confidence in the horse as a therapeutic partner across a wide range of human struggles.