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

For the program to be safe and effective, many volunteers are needed.

The center’s staff will teach you what you need to know, so experience with horses and/or people with disabilities is helpful, but not necessary.

The upcoming spring session will be eight weeks long, beginning the week of May 2.

A training session for new volunteers is scheduled for April 9 from 1 to 5 p.m. at the center, located 10 miles south of Tamaqua near Route 309.

Anyone who wishes to become a lesson volunteer is required to complete this hands-on training.

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. There will be no lessons the week of May 30 in observance of the Memorial Day holiday.

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.

In the interest of safety for riders and everyone involved in lessons, volunteers must be fully vaccinated from COVID-19 before the start of the session. New volunteers will be trained as side aides who assist riders during lessons.

The program 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.

According to Volunteer Coordinator Jane Ostroski, “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.

“Volunteering here is a great way to feel good about what you are doing and have fun at the same time.”

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.

Horses & Horizons 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. The lessons are designed to be both therapeutic and fun.

Program Director, Elaine Smith, describes the effects of the lessons. “Some of our riders receive many different types of therapy. Therapeutic horseback riding is by far their favorite, and riding is the highlight of their whole week. The horses make all the difference. They impart so many benefits to our riders.”

In addition to lesson volunteers, the center 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 on Horses & Horizons Therapeutic Learning Center Inc., visit the website at www.horsesandhorizons.org or call Elaine or Harvey Smith at 570-386-5679.