Special Equestrians Inc

TO PROVIDE THERAPEAUTIC BENEFITS TO HANDICAPPED CITIZENS THROUGH A HORSEBACK RIDING PROGRAM.

SPECIAL EQUESTRIANS, INC. PROGRAM ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2023 9 NEW PARTICIPANTS WERE ADDED TO OUR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH INCLUDE THERAPEUTIC RIDING AND CARRIAGE DRIVING, IN 2023. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS SERVED FOR OUR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM DURING 2023 WAS 74. SPECIAL EQUESTRIANS' THERAPEUTIC CARRIAGE DRIVING PROGRAM COMPLETED ITS 7TH SEASON IN 2023. THIS PROGRAM HAS ALLOWED US TO SERVE SOME PARTICIPANTS WHO DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEBACK RIDING. THERAPEUTIC DRIVING IS ALSO AN ALTERNATIVE EQUESTRIAN SKILL TO OFFER THE PEOPLE ON OUR WAITING LIST. OUR HORSES HELPING HUMANS, A VETERAN'S PROGRAM CONTINUED IN 2023, FACILITATED BY TWO OF OUR PATH CERTIFIED PROFESSIONALS. HORSES HELPING HUMANS IS A HORSEMANSHIP PROGRAM USING ONLY GROUNDWORK WITH OUR VETERANS. THE VETERANS LEARN TO PARTNER WITH A SPECIAL EQUESTRIANS THERAPY HORSE. OUR PATH REGISTERED THERAPIST, WHO IS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, CONTINUES TO OFFER HER SERVICES AT SPECIAL EQUESTRIANS USING HIPPOTHERAPY AS A TREATMENT MODALITY. THE TERM HIPPOTHERAPY REFERS TO HOW OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, AND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY PROFESSIONALS USE EVIDENCE-BASED PRACTICE AND CLINICAL REASONING IN THE PURPOSEFUL MANIPULATION OF EQUINE MOVEMENT TO ENGAGE SENSORY, NEUROMOTOR, AND COGNITIVE SYSTEMS TO ACHIEVE FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES IN A CLIENT. WE PARTNER WITH OUR THERAPIST TO OFFER THESE SERVICES, WHICH BEGAN WITH THE FIRST CLIENTS IN 2018. THE NAME OF OUR THERAPIST'S SERVICE IS STRIDES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES. THIS SERVICE IS OFFERED 2 DAYS A WEEK AT OUR CENTER. OUR PET PARTNER HORSE/HANDLER TEAMS WERE GIVEN AN ADDITIONAL YEAR OF CERTIFICATION BECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, ALLOWING US TO USE OUR CERTIFICATION THROUGH 2023. WE WILL BE GOING THROUGH OUR CERTIFICATION EVALUATIONS AGAIN IN 2023. IN 2023, OUR VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR CONTINUED HER ROLE. SHE IS WORKING WITH UNITED WAY'S VOLUNTEER CENTER AND RECRUITING NEW VOLUNTEERS. WE HAVE HAD MANY ORIENTATIONS, VOLUNTEER TRAININGS, AND VOLUNTEER SEMINARS PLANNED. WE ARE ALSO INCORPORATING MORE TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS TO INCREASES ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASE RETENTION RATES. IN 2023, WE PURCHASED A HANDS-FREE HEADSET FOR OUR INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBLE FOR TEACHING VOLUNTEER CLINICS. IN 2023, WE ADDED ABOUT TWO INCHES OF FRESH ARENA FOOTING AND REGRADED THE ARENA TO ENSURE WE HAVE EVEN RIDING SURFACE. THE GERMANY GEOTEXTILE FOOTING IS SUPERIOR FOOTING FOR BOTH HORSE AND RIDER. OUR SENSORY INTEGRATION TRAIL WAS REHABBED IN 2023 BY STUDENTS FROM FGCU DURING MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY. THIS SPECIAL DAY ALWAYS GIVES OUR SENSORY TRAIL A NEW FRESH LOOK AND REHABS THE ACTIVITIES AND OBSTACLES INTO A SAFE AREA FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS. AN ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR WAS HIRED IN 2023 AND IS PREPARING TO ENTER THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR POSITION IN 2024. WE HAVE INCREASED OUR SERVICE HOURS BY 306 UNITS WE PURCHASED THREE HORSES IN 2023. WE SECURED ONE FREE LEASE FOR A HORSE IN 2023. WE PURCHASED A HORSE TRAILER FOR OUTREACH AND VETERINARIAN NEEDS.