IUOC to offer horse riding as therapy

The IU Outdoor Center has just announced a new partnership with a horseback riding program focused on children’s therapy.

Agape Therapeutic Riding Resources is a “mission-centered organization specializing in cultivating personal growth through horse-facilitated experiences,” according to an IU press release. It began in 1986 as a summer program at Bradford Woods that gave disabled children the opportunity to work with horses and shortly after that expanded to provide year-round services in Cicero, Ind.

Now, it will offer full programming at the Bradford Woods Equine Center, which is located near Martinsville, Ind.

Agape will serve more than 800 youth enrolled in medically specific summer camp programs at their location, Bradford Woods director Shay Dawson said in the release.

“Additionally, we look forward to working with Agape to provide year-round equine-assisted therapy services to area clients, specialized equine-assisted therapy trainings to medical professionals and research and learning opportunities to Indiana University students and faculty,” Dawson said in the release.

Agape founder Cheryl Miller decided to continue the initial success of her summer riding program by establishing it as a year-round, full-time program in Cicero.

Therapists and parents had approached her about the summer program, and now she is seeing initial success become a reality with the Bradford Woods collaboration.
“The partnership and collaboration with Bradford Woods gave us the ability to start something truly miraculous,” Miller said in the release.

Bradford Woods, an auxiliary enterprise of IU, looks to fulfill the academic mission of the School of Public Health, according to its website. It is a unit of the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Studies. It serves more than 25,000 people annually with services including recreational, educational and leadership development opportunities.

Equine-assisted therapy and activities are listed as one of Bradford Woods’ values, which are listed on their main website. Other values include universal design in the outdoor setting, public health improvements through outdoor experiences and adventure education.

The Agape program alone will offer services spanning from therapeutic riding to carriage driving, the IU release states. There will also be opportunities for professional training, equine-facilitated learning and several retreats meant for building team morale and leadership.

According to its website, Agape emphasizes the strength of a human-horse connection, saying that such a bond creates a “haven for unbridled hope.”

The organization is one of Indiana’s oldest therapeutic riding organizations, according to the press release. It has grown as a nonprofit to encompass a main location in Cicero of 20 acres of land and an indoor arena. They now have more than 20 horses and serve an excess of 1,400 people a year.

Agape Executive Director Amanda Bocik said she is looking forward to the nonprofit’s expansion.

“Our future goals include Agape’s ability to continue to grow in the number of people we’re serving and in the impact we’re making,” Bocik said in the release. “Agape is thrilled to announce our first step in achieving this mission-focused growth.”

Anicka Slachta