Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center

LITTLE BIT THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER IS A COMMUNITY WHERE HORSES TRANSFORM THE BODIES, MINDS AND SPIRITS OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

WITH THE AVAILABILITY OF COVID-19 VACCINES IN 2021, LITTLE BIT'S SERVICES WERE ABLE TO EXPAND TO NEAR PRE-COVID LEVELS.DURING OUR 42 WEEKS OF REGULAR SESSIONS IN 2021, LITTLE BIT THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER ("LITTLE BIT") PROVIDED SERVICES TO 474 UNDUPLICATED INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, PLUS 16 PARTICIPANTS OF ALL ABILITIES THROUGH OUR SIX, WEEK-LONG SUMMER CAMPS. LITTLE BIT'S STAFF WAS ASSISTED BY 504 VOLUNTEERS.LITTLE BIT HAS THREE MAIN PROGRAMS: THERAPY UTILIZING EQUINE MOVEMENT, ADAPTIVE RIDING, AND EQUINE-FACILITATED PSYCHOTHERAPY AND EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING.LITTLE BIT OFFERS PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, AND SPEECH THERAPY UTILIZING EQUINE MOVEMENT. LICENSED THERAPISTS UTILIZE A HORSE AS A TREATMENT TOOL, INCORPORATED INTO THE PATIENT'S PLAN OF CARE, TO REACH FUNCTIONAL GOALS. IN 2021, THERE WERE 2,998 TREATMENT SESSIONS AND 52 EVALUATIONS. ADAPTIVE RIDING FOCUSES ON INCREASING INDIVIDUAL RIDING SKILLS WHILE GAINING THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS. LESSONS ARE TAUGHT BY ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS CERTIFIED BY THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INTERNATIONAL (PATH). PARTICIPANTS SHOW IMPROVED INDEPENDENCE, SELF-ESTEEM, CONCENTRATION, VERBAL FLUENCY AND REDUCED ANXIETY. IN 2021, THERE WERE 5,007 ADAPTIVE RIDING LESSONS.EQUINE-FACILITATED PSYCHOTHERAPY (EFP) AND EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING (EAL) INVOLVE LITTLE BIT PARTNERING WITH LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS (EFP) AND EDUCATORS (EAL) TO PROVIDE SERVICES AT OUR FACILITY. THERAPISTS AND EDUCATORS WORK HAND IN HAND WITH A PATH CERTIFIED EQUINE SPECIALIST FROM THE LITTLE BIT STAFF. HORSES ARE UNIQUELY SUITED TO THIS KIND OF THERAPY BECAUSE THEY ARE INTUITIVE AND WILL REACT TO BEHAVIOR PATTERNS AND CUES THAT PEOPLE MIGHT MISS, ALLOWING THE THERAPIST OR EDUCATOR TO INTERACT ON A DEEPER LEVEL WITH THEIR PATIENT OR STUDENT AND ADDRESS ISSUES THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO UNNOTICED. IN 2021, EFP SERVICES WERE PROVIDED TO 15 CHILDREN AND ADULTS, AND 118 INDIVIDUAL SESSIONS OF EAL WERE PROVIDED.

LITTLE BIT HOSTS WORKSHOPS/CERTIFICATIONS FOR PATH AND AMERICAN HIPPOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION (AHA). THESE WORKSHOPS PROVIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING TO POTENTIAL PATH INSTRUCTORS FOR THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP AND THERAPISTS FOR HIPPOTHERAPY. IN 2021, WE OFFERED A PATH EQUINE SPECIALIST IN MENTAL HEALTH AND LEARNING WORKSHOP & HORSEMANSHIP SKILLS TEST FOR A TOTAL OF 12 PARTICIPANTS. ALL OTHER SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS AND CERTIFICATIONS WERE CANCELED IN 2021 DUE TO COVID-19.

LITTLE BIT HOSTS MEMORIAL HORSE SHOWS TO PROVIDE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR PARTICIPANTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR RIDING SKILLS. THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY OF OUR PARTICIPANTS TO EARN MERIT-BASED AWARDS AND COMPETE AGAINST THEIR PEERS IN A SPORT THAT THEY TRAIN AND PRACTICE FOR YEAR AROUND. IN 2021, WE HAD 175 VIRTUAL HORSE SHOW PARTICIPANTS OF ALL ABILITIES JUDGED ON A VARIETY OF SKILL LEVELS ON HORSEBACK.