The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding and Year End Giving

There is this place in Grand Rapids, well Rockford actually, called the Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding. And it is amazing.

My daughter is passionate about horses and wanted to volunteer there. So every Wednesday she goes there to work with the horses and the people who come there for therapy. And she loves it!! When you can match your passion with serving others? I think that might just be best combination ever!

So what exactly do they do? It is called Equine Therapy. And it is amazing! Horseback riding for the disabled is recognized as one of the more progressive forms of therapy. It combines instruction in traditional horsemanship skills with concepts of physical therapy, occupational therapy and social/emotional therapies to improve the riders in the areas like: PHYSICAL BENEFITS and MENTAL IMPROVEMENTS and SOCIAL / EMOTIONAL BENEFITS. You can find out more about them here.

When I drop off and pick up Anneke I often have the opportunity to see those who come there for therapy. To say their faces are beaming would be a HUGE understatement. They are just glowing!

But a place like this needs help, it takes MANY volunteers...and it takes money to keep a place like this running. There is expensive equipment for therapy. Heating the space. And hey, horses eat a lot! What does the Equest Center say about Donations? "The Equest Center for Therapeutic Riding, Inc. is a nonprofit 501(c)3 charity. Your support enables our center to provide physical, mental and emotional benefits to 125-150 individuals with disabilities each week on a year-round basis. All donations are tax-deductible."

They need our support. Will you consider a year end gift to this amazing organization? I know how much they would appreciate it!