Raising funds for LTRA

Sometimes you just need to take a long ride on a horse to get your mind off of the day’s problems. The Lethbridge Therapeutic Riding Association is hosting the Ride For Dreams event on Saturday for youth and adult riders. It begins at Pavan Park as they will make their way to the Oldman River and back. There are some huge prizes available to the riders that raise the most money. The event will also honour a special member named Joanne Perlich who passed away recently. Jason Shriner, the Executive Director of the association, says all of the funds raised will go to support the LTRA.

“We have for the past 45 years offered horseback riding to children and young adults with a varying range of complicated physical and psychological diagnoses. That work continues to this day as a result of the generosity and funds raised through events like the Ride For Dreams. We’ve expanded into a range of other type of equine therapy. We collaborate with AHS here at the farm doing mental health and addiction work so that is not necessarily mounted work. It’s experiential with the horses. Grooming, touch, leading experiences on the farm. We’re doing work with rec therapy and occupational therapy, which is really exciting.”

Shriner says additional money will go to the association to help with the upkeep of horses and provide more equestrian therapeutic support.