Horses & Horizons seeks volunteers

Horses & Horizons Therapeutic Learning Center, Inc., needs volunteers to assist with therapeutic horseback riding lessons for children and adults with disabilities. Experience with horses and/or people with disabilities is helpful, but not necessary.

The upcoming session is eight weeks long, beginning on April 29.

A training session for new volunteers will be held 1-5 p.m. April 13 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.

H.H.T.L.C. offers therapeutic riding lessons on Monday and Wednesday evenings for individuals with disabilities. Volunteers are asked to give one or two hours of their time on either lesson night for the eight-week session.

Fourteen is the minimum age for lesson volunteers. New volunteers are trained as side aides who assist riders during lessons. Volunteers with horse experience are trained to be horse leaders for lessons. H.H.T.L.C. welcomes the volunteer assistance of professionals in the allied health fields of physical, occupational, speech, and behavior therapy.

H.H.T.L.C. serves clients with a wide variety of disabilities including cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit disorder, developmental delays, intellectual disability, Down Syndrome, and traumatic brain injury, among others. Lessons are designed to be both therapeutic and fun.

In addition to lesson volunteers, H.H.T.L.C. also needs people to assist with grounds maintenance, cleaning saddles and bridles, and fundraising. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should contact Volunteer Coordinator, Louise Brong, at 610-3925023 or bronghhtlc@outlook.com

For information, go to www.horsesandhorizons.org or call Elaine or Harvey Smith at 570-386-5679.