About Us

Here’s Hope Horse Farm began an Equestrian Training Program for children and adults with special needs in April of 2003.  Here’s Hope Horse Farm was formed as an Ohio Nonprofit Organization on February 23, 2004.  Some of the disabilities Here’s Hope Horse Farm has worked with include Seizure Disorders, Developmentally Delayed, Mental Retardation, Downs Syndrome, Autism, Arthritis, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Alcohol Fetal Syndrome, TBI (traumatic brain injury), Rett Syndrome, apraxia and dyspraxia.  Many of our students are recommended to us through the Physiatry Division of the Neurodevelopment Center of Akron Children’s Hospital and the Rehabilitation Department of Akron Children’s Hospital.  Some of the volunteers in our program come from Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish and Saint Joseph’s Parish, both in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, as well as other churches and schools. Other volunteers are doctors, retired emergency medical first responders, nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, child life specialists and more from various hospitals and rehabilitation centers.

Our philosophy is that special needs people need to maintain a healthy lifestyle physically, socially, educationally, and spiritually.  Through therapeutic riding instruction we help our students achieve this goal.  Physical benefits include balance, coordination and muscle tone.  As well as reduction of spasms as the rhythmic motion and warmth of the horse teaches the student’s body fluid movement and increased range of motion of the joints.  Social benefits develop as friendships are made as well as respect and love for animals develop for the volunteers as well as the students.  Psychologically a general sense of well-being, improved self-confidence, a sense of empowerment, developed patience and a sense of normality begin to develop.  Educationally sequencing, pattern and motor planning are taking place throughout the lesson.  Spiritually we create a bond between God, nature and man that is the heart of our program.