Causes: Animal-Related, Animals, Equestrian, Sports

Mission:
The mission of Circle of Hope is to provide equine assisted activities and therapy for persons with physical, mental, emotional and developmental disabilities to enhance their quality of life.

Target demographics: Children and Adults with physical and/or mental disabilities

Geographic areas served: Maryland

Programs: Our therapeutic program is dedicated to providing individualized equine assisted therapies and activities to children and adults with disabilities. Simply stated, equine assisted therapies and activities includes therapeutic horseback riding and uses equine activities for the purpose of contributing positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well being of individuals with disabilities. Circle of Hope currently owns five therapy horses. All horses working in the program are carefully evaluated and selected based on safety, temperament, style of movement, and size. Once a horse is selected, the horse must undergo highly specialized and formal training, which is maintained on an ongoing basis. This training is imperative in order to provide safe, high quality service to the children and adults participating in the program. Circle of Hope has an active trained volunteer base of over 80 individuals ranging in age from 14 to over 65 years old. Montgomery County, Maryland has approved Circle of Hope as a site where students can complete Student Learning Services hours required for high school graduation. Student and adult volunteers receive specialized orientation and training as one component of their Circle of Hope experience. This training process is done over a two-day period. The volunteers learn about equine assisted therapies and activities, become knowledgeable about various disabilities, become skilled at working with the horse and participant before, during, and after the sessions, and most importantly, are taught about the safety requirements necessary to make the sessions as safe as possible for all involved. Therapeutic riding and Hippotherapy offer benefits in a very non-clinic-like setting. Horses offer unconditional acceptance and unlimited patience. Due to the unique relationship formed between the participant and the horse, most participants experience increased confidence, patience and self-esteem, as well as increased independence, improved balance posture and muscle tone. Therapeutic riding provides participants with a sense of accomplishment that no amount of traditional therapy can ever provide.