Equi-Ed: Equines and Education

Our Mission Statement

Using the therapeutic power of the horse to enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Our Goals

~ Enhance each student's educational plan through coordination with school staff and the implementation of activities which support achievement in basic subjects and pre-vocational skills.

~ Improve the students physical, medical, social, and emotional well being through interaction with specially selected horses, in a positive environment which encourages involvement and caring between disabled and non-disabled individuals.

~ Stimulate awareness and understanding of the efficacy of therapeutic riding.

~ Provide professional development and training for individuals in the therapeutic riding industry.

Educationally Based

Begun in 1994 and until a funding cut in 1996, Equi-Ed was a part of the Special Education Department of Santa Rosa City Schools. Presently, Equi-Ed is affiliated with the Adapted Physical Education and Equine Science departments of Santa Rosa Junior College and offers horsemanship instruction, competition opportunities and specialized educational programs to children and adults with and without disabilities. Santa Rosa Junior College Agriculture department offers courses for training in therapeutic riding which are taught by Equi-Ed's director, Maxine Freitas.

Equi-Ed is the first North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) center in California to offer Interactive Vaulting by a NARHA Certified Interactive Vaulting Instructor. One of only five NARHA centers in the United States to have a certified interactive vaulting instructor, Equi-Ed leads this field with two professionals trained to lunge and teach gymnastics on horseback.

Interactive Vaulting focuses largely on facilitating an environment which provides opportunity for interaction and experiential learning. Interaction with the horse through ground games, with other vaulters through team activities and with the vaulting instructor through activities on the horse.

In our Read, Ride and Create program, children attend courses taught by a reading specialist, art specialist, and occupational or physical therapist, in addition to riding and horsemanship.

Lessons are held at Santa Rosa Junior College Shone Farm and at our community-based program in Santa Rosa, March to November.

Equi-Ed is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

National Accreditation

Equi-Ed is an accredited center of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), as such, the program meets the highest standards of safety established in the industry.

All instructors have completed specialized training in therapeutic riding and hold advanced or masters level certification.

To best meet the individual needs of clients, consultation or assessment with Occupational, Physical, and Speech therapists, as well as Adapted Physical Education specialists and Special Education teachers is arranged.

Equi-Ed actively works to promote public awareness of therapeutic riding through student riding demonstrations, and public speaking engagements to organizations and corporations.

Contact Us

Mailing Address:	1535 Farmer's Lane #217 Santa Rosa, CA 95405
Telephone:	(707) 5-HORSES (546-7737)
E-mail:	infoequied@aol.com