A Special Program in the Lowcountry Enriching the Lives of Individuals with Disabilities
Heroes on Horseback (www.heroesonhorseback.org) is a local non-profit that enriches the lives of children and adults with physical, mental and emotional disabilities by providing safe, professional and ethical equine-assisted therapeutic activities. The organization, located at 100 Stillwell Road in Bluffton, offers a number of programs to meet the individual needs of those with disabilities throughout the community, providing services based on each participant’s needs, abilities and interests.
At Heroes on Horseback, all programs are designed to help children and adults overcome barriers that challenge their everyday lives – with the horse providing freedom of movement and excitement that no clinical setting can duplicate. Programs are offered in three different areas. In their Mounted Equine Assisted Therapy Program, participants are positioned on the horse to relax tight muscles, increase range of motion and improve stability and balance. This recreational therapeutic riding program provides participants with significant physical, emotional and psychological benefits from being on a horse. Through their Therapeutic Sport Riding Program, participants focus both on ground work and mounted riding – gaining specific benefits from each part of the program -- including working on fine/gross motor skills, vocabulary, memory, hand/eye coordination as well as the balance, coordination, flexibility and self-esteem. In their Unmounted Equine Assisted Learning & Vocational Training (for those that do not want to ride), participants gain the physical, occupational and emotional benefits of working with and around horses. The organization also offers a Special Olympics riding program sponsored by the South Carolina Special Olympics.
Heroes on Horseback is truly an amazing organization – with some amazing results seen every single day as program participants experience the joy, and benefits, of therapeutic horseback riding right here in the Lowcountry. Therapeutic horseback riding helps individuals with disabilities physically, emotionally and socially – with success measured not only in each participant’s growth and learning, but in the smiles seen as both children and adults with disabilities experience horseback riding through this premier accredited center of PATH, Int.
Each day, Heroes on Horseback provides programs for children and adults with a variety of special needs – including autism, ADHD, Down’s Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina bifida, Muscular Dystrophy, MS and other. Participants benefit from the program through increased confidence, improved concentration, better self-awareness and self-discipline and improved posture, balance, strength, flexibility and eye/hand coordination.
Recognizing the important role that Heroes on Horseback plays in the community, Charter One Realty is committed to helping the organization and supporting its mission in a variety of ways. Both Richard Reed, Charter One Realty Partner/Agent and George Cobb, Agent, serve as Board member of Heroes on Horseback. In addition, Charles Sampson, Charter One Realty Partner/Agent has been instrumental in helping to raise money for Heroes on Horseback (which depends solely on volunteers and donations) to help the organization provide these valuable programs in the community. Most recently, Charles Sampson and his wife Frances Sampson helped in raising $10,000 for Heroes on Horseback in conjunction with the organization’s May fundraiser. This significant amount of money raised by the Sampsons make it possible for approximately 30 children & adults with special needs to ride with Heroes on Horseback for one multi-ride session – and helps Heroes on Horseback continue to provide the programs and services valued by so many throughout the community.
To learn more about Heroes on Horseback, the work they are doing -- and ways you can get involved -- visit their website at www.heroesonhorseback.org. In addition, to read more about the work being done by Charles and Frances Sampson to support the organization through their exceptional fundraising efforts, click here to read a special thank you letter from Heroes on Horseback Board member George Cobb.
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