Blue Ridge Center for Therapeutic Horsemanship

About the Program

Therapeutic riding runs in fall and spring sessions, usually 10 weeks long, with weekly lessons of about 50 minutes. Lessons are individual, semi-private, or in groups of no more than three students. Students also learn grooming and basic horse care, and staff try to build in goals from a student's IEP. Instructors send progress reports to parents and guardians at the end of each session, and a three-level TRAV Rider Achievement Certificate Program tracks progress.

Equine-assisted learning (EAL) is offered year-round to individuals and small groups. It uses unmounted groundwork with horses to work on trust, relationship-building, self-image and emotional regulation. The center lists at-risk youth, children in foster care or group homes, children and families experiencing homelessness, youth in juvenile diversion programs, and adults pursuing personal development among its EAL clients. Staff can consult with a client's mental health professional when one is involved.

The Equines Serving Elders Program is an 8-week EAL program for residents living with dementia at Shenandoah Valley Westminster Canterbury, a senior lifecare community, who are brought to the barn to spend time with the horses.

Summer Day Camp

Fun with Horses is an adaptive, recreational day camp for children ages 7 through 12 with mild disabling conditions. Camp runs in the mornings and includes riding instruction, horsemanship, mounted and unmounted games, and arts and crafts, led by PATH-certified instructors and an art instructor with a 2:1 camper-to-staff ratio. Scholarships and grants are available, and enrollment depends on an instructor evaluation.

The Horses and Staff

Marjorie Youngs, M.Ed., is the executive director and a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. Megan Donovan, Laura Leaven and Elizabeth Heffner are PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors. The center says it is a member of PATH Intl. and that all of its instructors are PATH-certified.

The herd page lists four horses: Honey Bee, Butter Bean (a Belgian), Dillon and Dublin. Volunteers help with lessons and horse care as horse leaders and side walkers, and training is held before each spring and fall session and before camp week.

Location

BRCTH runs its program at Evergreen Farm, 131 Allegheny Ridge Rd, north of Berryville in Clarke County, after the sale of its former home at Almeda Farm in Boyce. The farm has a barn, two outdoor arenas and a canvas-covered arena. It is a private residence, so visit only by appointment and call (540) 533-2777 to confirm the location. The mailing address is P.O. Box 438, Boyce, VA 22620.