Therapeutic Riding Institute – Springboro, Ohio
Founded in 1973, Therapeutic Riding Institute was the first in their region, and one of the first in the world to offer equine-assisted serviced to people with disabilities. Although it started as a passion project in the early days, founders Betty Lou Townley and Linden Moore have always had the vision “to enhance lives by providing accredited therapeutic equine experiences in a safe, fun and compassionate environment.”
It hasn’t always been an easy road. Sam Ingerson, one of the program administrators, says that the organization came to a turning point in 2013, when they had to decide whether to shut down for good, or branch out and move to another location. They decided to move to their current location in Springboro, Ohio, where they have been for 6 years. Sam recounts that this was one of their biggest successes, and allowed them to double in size and provide better programs for their students.
She continues that this year is another big turning point, as they have decided to purchase their own farm, something Sam says will “allow us to expand our services to reach twice as many people in our community as we can now.”
TRI’s focus on serving the community is just one of the many things that contributes to their continual success. As one of only 275 centers in the nation that is Premier Accredited, they are able to offer services and programs that go above and beyond in serving people with disabilities.
This commitment to excellence has allowed TRI to grow and evolve tremendously since their humble beginnings in 1973. TRI offers programs such as Therapeutic Horseback Riding, Equine Assisted Learning for At-Risk Youth, Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy, and Horses Assisting Heroes, a program for veterans and their families.
TRI is an organization that is innovative in their programs as well. In one program, the students are taken on a Sensory Trail, filled with man-made activity stations as well as natural sights and sounds. This encourages them to interact with their surroundings while challenging their balance in a fun and lively environment that students love.
All of TRI’s programs work to comfort, heal, and offer companionship for clients and students. People are paired with amazing horses from a variety of different backgrounds. All horses have to go through a 3-month trial period, and 9 times out of 10 a horse will fail the trial. The horses that are best suited for the program are very appreciated and their special qualities bless the lives of all the visitors at TRI, from war veterans to troubled youth.
Help TRI grow to new heights this year by connecting with them on their website below to support through your donation or volunteer efforts.
How to Contact This Farm:
https://triohio.org
5224 Dearth Rd, Springboro OH 45066
(937) 619-7577
