February 5, 2009 — Eight centers offering equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) earned NARHA’s highest level of accomplishment for the first time and became NARHA Premier Accredited Centers during 2008. In addition, 40 Premier Accredited Centers renewed their Premier Accredited Center status during the year.
To become a NARHA Premier Accredited Center, a member organization must successfully pass an on-site evaluation by a trained NARHA site visitor. Centers’ evaluations cover a wide range of areas such as horse management, safety equipment, quality of instruction, facility operations, volunteerism and administrative practices. These standards were developed and field-tested by the NARHA membership to assure that centers follow procedures that are basic to quality EAAT. NARHA accreditation helps assist the public in selecting quality centers that provide safe EAAT for individuals with special needs.?NARHA requires that Premier Accredited Centers are re-visited every five years.?
By renewing Premier Accredited Center status through NARHA, centers demonstrate that they continue to comply with and exceed the national standards for the EAAT industry.
“By maintaining the NARHA Premier Accredited Center status, NARHA centers demonstrate their ongoing commitment to the highest standards when introducing individuals with special needs to a variety of equine activities,” said NARHA Chief Executive Officer Carol Nickell. “NARHA Accreditation is a respected benchmark within the EAAT industry. It demonstrates leadership and a commitment to safety and the highest professional standards.”
The following is a list of the equestrian centers that achieved or renewed NARHA Premier Accredited Center status during 2008.
Alabama
Special Equestrians, Inc., Indian Springs, AL
Accredited: 11/8/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 9/27/2008
Equines Assisting Special Individuals, EASI Jasper, AL
Accredited: 5/27/2008
Arkansas
Horses for Healing, Bentonville, AR
Accredited: 2/1/1995, Renewed Accreditation: 9/19/2008
Colorado
Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc., Longmont, CO
Accredited: 4/20/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 2/22/2008
Front Range Exceptional Equestrians, Fort Collins, CO
Accredited: 1/31/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 6/2/2008
Hearts & Horses Inc., Loveland, CO
Accredited: 6/7/2002, Renewed Accreditation: 1/12/2008
Delaware
Therapeutic Riding at Carousel (TRAC), Wilmington, DE
Accredited: 9/22/2008
Florida
Bakas Equestrian Center “Horses for Handicapped”, Tampa, FL
Accredited: 4/1/1991, Renewed Accreditation: 7/2/2008
Georgia
Jacobs’ Ladder Therapeutic Riding Center, Inc., Hahira, GA
Accredited: 4/17/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 8/2/2008
Horse Time, Inc., Covington, GA
Accredited: 5/5/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 7/21/2008
Hands And Hearts For Horses, Thomasville, GA
Accredited: 4/16/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 4/15/2008
Good Shepherd Therapeutic Center, Warm Springs, GA
Accredited: 1/31/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 5/7/2008
Iowa
Aspire TRP, Waterloo, IA
Accredited: 9/10/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 7/16/2008
Kansas
Heartland Therapeutic Riding, Inc., Stilwell, KS
Accredited: 4/20/1998, Renewed Accreditation: 8/22/2008
Kentucky
New Beginnings Therapeutic Riding, Inc., Bowling Green, KY
Accredited: 10/13/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 10/14/2008
Massachusetts
Windrush Farm Therapeutic Equitation, Inc., Boxford, MA
Accredited: 7/24/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 10/3/2008
Maryland
Maryland Therapeutic Horsemanship Association, Columbia, MD
Accredited: 11/8/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 9/26/2008
Kent Association of Riding Therapy, Inc., Worton, MD
Accredited: 1/31/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 9/13/2008
Therapeutic & Recreational Riding Center, Inc., Glenwood, MD
Accredited: 1/30/1990, Renewed Accreditation: 12/5/2008
Michigan
Lenawee Therapeutic Riding, Adrian, MI
Accredited: 7/30/1990, Renewed Accreditation: 6/11/2008
Minnesota
Freedom Farm, Waverly, MN
Accredited: 10/27/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 11/12/2008
Project ASTRIDE, St Joseph, MN
Accredited: 1/31/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 10/16/2008
Mississippi
Mississippi State Extension Service 4-H Team, Mississippi State, MS
Accredited: 10/29/2002, Renewed Accreditation: 9/9/2008
North Carolina
Heads Up! Therapeutic Riding Program Inc., Pittsboro, NC
Accredited: 7/28/1993, Renewed Accreditation: 10/21/2008
Foothills Equestrian Nature Center, Inc., Tryon, NC
Accredited: 4/26/2008
Ride Like a Knight, Laurinburg, NC
Accredited: 9/1/1995, Renewed Accreditation: 4/18/2008
New Jersey
Somerset Hills Handicapped Riding Center, Oldwick, NJ
Accredited: 11/8/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 3/19/2008
Nevada
Spirit Therapies, Las Vegas, NV
Accredited: 12/8/2008
Ohio
Pegasus Farm, Hartville, OH
Accredited: 4/20/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 10/2/2008
OUSC Ohio Horse Park Center for Therapeutic Riding, Franklin Furnace, OH
Accredited: 4/23/2008
Pennsylvania
Quest Therapeutic Services, Inc., West Chester, PA
Accredited: 8/13/2008
Storm Harbor Equestrian Center, Slippery Rock, PA
Accredited: 8/12/2008
THORNCROFT Therapeutic Horsebackriding, Inc., Malvern, PA
Accredited: 9/5/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 9/5/2008
South Carolina
Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding, Inc., Johns Island, SC
Accredited: 11/1/1992, Renewed Accreditation: 11/19/2008
Dream Riders, Lexington, SC
Accredited: 10/2/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 11/18/2008
Tennessee
Paradise Ranch, Springfield, TN
Accredited: 4/10/2008
Texas
SIRE, Houston’s Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Hockley, TX
Accredited: 4/20/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 8/12/2008
Heart of Texas Therapeutic Riding Center, West, TX
Accredited: 5/24/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 11/19/2008
Triple H Equitherapy Center, Pipe Creek, TX
Accredited: 1/1/1998, Renewed Accreditation: 3/19/2008
Wings of Hope Equitherapy, Burleson, TX
Accredited: 7/19/2002, Renewed Accreditation: 1/14/2008
The Riding Therapy Center, Victoria, TX
Accredited: 9/18/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 10/20/2008
Runnin WJ Ranch, Texarkana, TX
Accredited: 4/1/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 2/29/2008
Virginia
Graz’n Acres Therapeutic Riding Center, Sedley, VA
Accredited: 9/29/2003, Renewed Accreditation: 7/10/2008
Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program, Clifton, VA
Accredited: 1/1/1997, Renewed Accreditation: 7/25/2008
Vermont
Champlain Adaptive Mounted Program, South Hero, VT
Accredited: 11/1/1992, Renewed Accreditation: 10/27/2008
Washington
Pegasus Project Therapeutic Riding Center, Yakima, WA
Accredited: 9/29/2008
Wisconsin
Free SPIRIT Riders, Inc., Fond du Lac, WI
Accredited: 4/20/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 10/6/2008
Canada
Community Association for Riding for Disabled, Toronto, ON
Accredited: 7/2/1989, Renewed Accreditation: 5/28/2008