Horses & Horizons Therapeutic Learning Center Inc. is getting ready to begin its summer session of therapeutic horseback riding lessons for children and adults with disabilities.

For the program to be safe and effective, many volunteers are needed. Staff will teach you what you need to know.

The upcoming session is eight weeks long, beginning the week of July 11. Horses & Horizons is a registered nonprofit organization that is staffed entirely by volunteers. It offers therapeutic riding lessons on Monday and Wednesday evenings. You are asked to give one or two hours of your time on either lesson night for the eight-week session.

Fourteen is the minimum age for lesson volunteers. There is no maximum age, provided a volunteer is in good health and can walk for an hour at a time. Volunteers must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before the start of the session. New volunteers will be trained as side aides who assist riders during lessons. HHTLC also needs people with horse experience to become horse leaders, and it welcomes the volunteer assistance of professionals in the allied health fields of physical, occupational, and speech therapy.

Volunteer coordinator Jane Ostroski said, “Our volunteers are often amazed at the progress our special riders make physically, mentally, and/or emotionally from participating in lessons. It is very rewarding to help make a difference in their lives.”

Therapeutic horseback riding has been shown to improve balance, posture, strength and coordination. It also helps to increase self-awareness, self-confidence, attention span and independence. Riders often gain improved social skills as well.

HHTLC serves clients with a wide variety of disabilities including cerebral palsy, autism, attention deficit disorder, developmental delays, intellectual disability, Down syndrome and traumatic brain injury, among others.

In addition to lesson volunteers, HHTLC also needs people to assist with grounds maintenance, cleaning saddles and bridles, and fundraising. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should contact Ostroski at 484-375-5354 or jeohhtlc15@gmail.com. For more information, visit the website at www.horsesandhorizons.org or call Elaine or Harvey Smith at 570-386-5679.