Who We Are
STRIDES Therapeutic Riding is a
community-oriented, non-profit 501(c)3 organization. We are a
NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) Premier
Accredited Center. Premier Accredited Centers have proven their
excellence in providing quality, professional therapeutic riding by
meeting established industry standards, demonstrated through an on-site
accreditation program. All of our instructors are NARHA Certified Instructors.
Our goal is to provide physically, mentally and emotionally challenged
individuals an opportunity for emotional and physical growth through
horsemanship. Volunteers are the mainstay
of our program, along with our carefully chosen and highly trained
horses and ponies.
In addition to STRIDES' commitment to therapeutic
riding, STRIDES also seeks to involve inner city children, homeless
children, and at risk children in an activity that will improve
their self esteem and teach them tools they can use to make a living
as an adult. We are strongly committed to community outreach programs.
Nora Fischbach, STRIDES Executive
Director has a long history of activism in the area of therapeutic
riding. She has twice been a speaker at the NARHA (North American
Riding for the Handicapped Association) National Conference, has
several published articles on therapeutic riding, maintains the Therapeutic
Riding E-group, has published a book on Developmental Therapeutic
Vaulting, and two books on therapeutic riding instruction; and has written an award-winning homepage. She is on the
steering committee of a new Therapeutic Riding E-Library, the first of
it's kind on the internet. She is currently involved with cutting-edge
research on therapeutic riding with the California State University,
Northridge Physical Therapy Department. Nora is a NARHA certified instructor.
STRIDES is located at 11582 Longacre Ave.,
Granada Hills, CA.
Map of 11584 Longacre Ave Granada Hills, CA 91344-2004, US
Our program provides therapeutic riding using a team
approach of medical, behavioral, educational, and equine specialists
along with dedicated volunteers. The population served by STRIDES
includes disabled individuals living in Los Angeles, the San Fernando
Valley, Simi Valley, Conejo Valley, and the beach communities of Los
Angeles. Riders come from group homes, programs for the disabled and
individual families. Strides also serves abused and disadvantaged
teens from the Los Angeles and San Fernando Valley areas.
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Riders are
accepted to our program based on an initial evaluation. We follow
NARHA guidelines in accepting riders. It is important to us that
we do not take riders who will in any way be harmed by the riding
experience. Once accepted, goals are set based on the initial evaluation,
and riders are then re-evaluated every three months and new goals are
set.
Our riding program is multi-faceted.
We teach English and Western riding to accomplish specific therapeutic
goals. In addition, we offer mounted drill team work, square dancing
on horseback, trail riding, as well as providing physical, emotional,
behavioral and speech therapy on horseback. We work toward educational
goals such as pre-reading and reading, mathematics and sequencing.
STRIDES also provides animal-assisted therapy not only through the
use of horses, but with the aid of other animals housed on the property.
We attend horse shows for the disabled and put on our own horse
shows and play days for our riders and others.
Through the use of community outreach programs,
STRIDES not only gives our riders the opportunity to ride with
and compete against able-bodied riders, we also give disadvantaged
people in the community an opportunity to work and ride with the
disabled. In a special
Work-to-Ride program, Strides provides inner city and abused teens
with the opportunity to develop a sense of responsibilty while earning
their riding lessons. We have worked with at-risk children and teens from the
inner city, abused children, and children who have cancer. We also
host international interns who wish to
bring therapeutic riding to their countries, and provide an instructor's
course for those who want to become therapeutic riding instructors.
STRIDES is committed to improving the lives of
our riders through the use of horses. It is not unusual for a
child who has never walked before to discover that, though the strength
and balance developed on a horse, he or she can now begin to walk.
The first words or signs of many of our non-verbal riders are related
to riding. Therapy is fun instead of painful when provided on horseback.
Learning becomes a game rather than a chore. Our motto,
"Reaching For The Stars!" says it all.
We see no limits in our riders or what they, and we, can accomplish.
If you would like to receive our newsletter in your e-mail, please enter
your e-mail address below and click on "go":
We hope you are interested enough in our program to want
to help. To find out how to help Strides, please click here to see our Wish List.
PROGRAM DIRECTOR:
Nora
Fischbach
Riders
A special page for people interested in becoming participants in our
program 
