Therapeutic Riding Making A Difference In Children's Lives

Saddle Up, an equine therapy center in Tennessee, helps children with disabilities gain confidence through riding, using horses like Bishop, who also face their own challenges.

Friday, August 30th 2024, 12:56 pm

By: News On 6, CBS News

An equine therapy riding center in Tennessee is using injured horses to make a difference in the lives of children.

Saddle Up gives children and young adults with disabilities chances to ride with confidence as they build trust with horses while also facing limitations.

Its largest horse, Bishop, is blind in his right eye, but that doesn't hold him back. The center's teachers said everyone is making big strides.

"With these horses especially, I think because they know they came from a tough situation, they're willing to help others," said Lindsey Wood, a teacher at Saddle Up. "Especially when they're getting the care, the love, and the attention that they didn't get, maybe in their first life or first career."

Saddle Up is one of the 794 organizations that are part of PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International.

PATH International was founded in 1969 to promote safe and effective therapeutic horseback riding throughout the United States and Canada.

Oklahoma is home to 12 of these riding centers. You can find a complete list of them below:

American Therapeutic Riding Center

395 N 177th W Ave, Sand Springs

(918) 426-9450

https://www.atrcok.org/

Bit By Bit Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc.

14674 S Hwy 169, Oologoah

(918) 371-1750

https://bitbybitok.org/

Riding with Hope