While GBSE can make its scholarships and support available to any barn in the United States, it has focused its support on the following therapy centers and the children they serve.
Whispering Manes Therapeutic Riding Center – Miami
Established in 2011, Whispering Manes is dedicated to providing equine-assisted services for children and adults with special needs or disabilities. Centrally located in Miami-Dade County’s Horse Country, the tranquil five-acre farm includes a custom-designed, ADA compliant barn and covered riding arena.
The center employs PATH-certified instructors and specially trained horses and miniature horses. Whispering Manes offers programs for individuals and groups including Therapeutic Horseback Riding, Therapeutic Horsemanship, Manes & Tales equine-assisted literacy program, and a Veterans’ Program.
In addition to learning horseback riding and horsemanship skills, engaging in these activities may lead to improvements in physical strength, as well as gross and fine motor skills. Participants in these programs may also improve core strength and trunk control, balance, and communication skills. An additional benefit is the development of a sense of accomplishment, and the promotion of the powerful bond between humans and horses. The overall goal of both the therapeutic horseback riding and horsemanship programs program is to promote independence when working with and riding the horses. Independent skills gained while working with horses have the potential to translate into independent life skills.
The Manes and Tales, equine-assisted literacy program targets struggling readers of all ages. Base on the successful Horse Powered Reading program, Manes and Tales is an experiential reading program that encourages students to develop and improve their literacy skills through a variety of exercises and interactions with our mini horses.
Whispering Manes is a 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization and is the only PATH International Premier Accredited Center in Miami which recognizes the organization as a center of excellence for safety and compliance within PATH International guidelines.
Whispering Manes has achieved the GuideStar Gold Seal of Transparency and has been a top-rated nonprofit by Great Nonprofits every year since 2013.
Whispering Manes is located at 6105 SW 125 Avenue, Miami, FL.
(305) 596-4202
Stable Place - Davie
Since 2013, Stable Place of Davie, Florida has provided a variety of Equine Assisted Therapy, self-development and family strengthening services to individuals, children, families and couples in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties.
Stable Place uses a solution-oriented approach in which horses are used as tools for emotional growth and learning. As prey animals, horses’ sensitivity, hyper- vigilance and herd instincts make them perfect mirrors for our own behavior, accurately reflecting the way we relate to ourselves, each other and the world around us. With the belief that people have the ability to find their own answers and the understanding that people change and grow when they are challenged, Equine Assisted Therapy allows for a unique experience of learning by doing.
During Equine Assisted Learning workshops and retreats, teams work together to learn more effective communication skills, alternative leadership styles, creative thinking and problem-solving skills that are directly transferable to the daily work environment. Organizational support is then offered following the learning experience to enhance the sustainability of learned skills and long-term effectiveness. Participants learn more about themselves both as individuals and as integral parts of their professional community.
Stable Place was developed by Valerie Bruce Judd, President and Equine Specialist. In collaboration with Dr. Shelley Green, Ph.D., LMFT, faculty member from Nova Southeastern University’s family therapy program, Stable Place Equine Assisted Family Therapy Program offers a wide range of educational and team building services. Equine assisted individual, family, and group therapy are available to all populations including military personnel and their families, children and spouses. However, many could not benefit from our programs were it not for help from generous donors like you and events such as Unravel the Ribbon.
Stable Place facility is located at 5020 SW 73rd Avenue, Davie, FL.
(954) 790-0270
stableplace@gmail.com
Special Equestrians of Treasure Coast - Vero Beach
Since 1992, Special Equestrians of the Treasure Coast, Inc. of Vero Beach, Florida has provided therapeutic horseback riding for children and adults who are challenged by Autism, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Strokes, Diabetes, and other conditions affecting muscles and speech. Many of their riders are unable to control their arms and legs and are among scores of people in Indian River County burdened by mental, developmental, physical and emotional disabilities. SETC witnesses children and adults change as soon as they get into the saddle.
SETC charges a minimal rider’s fee, yet even at that some disadvantaged students could not benefit from the program were it not for Give Back’s lucrative fundraising efforts and events. Donations of any amount make a huge difference, and your gift helps to ensure that no student is turned away due to an inability to pay.
Special Equestrians of the Treasure Coast is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization and a Center Member of PATH, Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International.)
Special Equestrians is located at 7280 53rd Street in Vero Beach, FL.
(772) 562-7603
Gallop NYC - New York
GallopNYC brings the proven benefits of therapeutic horsemanship and harmonious bonds with horses to children and adults with disabilities in NYC.
Therapeutic horseback riding provides measurable benefits for people with developmental, emotional, social, and physical challenges. Through weekly riding sessions with PATH-certified instructors, we help riders walk, talk and learn, inspiring each one to live life as fully, productively and independently as possible. GallopNYC serves 350 riders every week at five NYC locations. IN Fall 2016, GallopNYC will begin offering lessons at our first dedicated site, in Gemini Fields, Queens, NY.
Every day, GallopNYC strives to fulfill our mission to use therapeutic horsemanship “to help riders walk, talk, and learn, inspiring each one to live life as fully, productively, and independently as possible.” Our primary goals are to quadruple the number of people we serve with riding lessons and add new locations. Eventually, we plan to operate our own riding stables in all five boroughs of New York City. Our strategic vision is that every child with a disability in New York City will have access to therapeutic horseback riding programs.
GallopNYC has a commitment to working with special needs children from low-income families who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in such programming. GallopNYC makes the benefits of therapeutic riding widely available by subsidizing lesson costs for most of our riders.
GallopNYC is located at 540 President St, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11218
(646) 413-0469
HERD Foundation
HERD Foundation (Horses Energy Reflections Direction), Inc. was established in 2018. HERD Foundation’s mission is to provide the South Florida area with equine-assisted activities designed to empower individuals to achieve personal development through the unique relationship between humans and horses.
HERD Foundation is committed to serving the South Florida community with particular attention focused on our priority populations of Veterans, Youth/Emerging Adults and Parents/Families. While each of the priority populations has unique needs, they all benefit from connection to our equine partners. Our goal is to connect humans to horses so that participants can learn the skills of connection and belonging. Our hope is that when participants engage with horses in an arena, they learn how to build healthy and attuned relationships both with themselves and with others. Participants enter our program as individuals but leave as part of a herd.
HERD Foundation is a 501(c)3 Non-Profit Organization certified by PATH, Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International.) , EAGALA and Natural Lifemanship.
HERD Foundation is located at TARA Farm
5135 Conklin Drive, Delray Beach, FL 33484
(954) 675 5065