Harness the Power of Horses
Empowering children and adults with physical, emotional, and developmental needs to live their best lives.
Make An Impact
Every donation amount helps sustain this valuable program and helps us continue our mission of empowering children and adults with physical, emotional, and developmental needs to live their best lives. Covid and rising inflation have dramatically affected our program costs, and now more than ever, we need your support to continue our transformative work.
Your Donations Go to Support Things Like:
Lesson Horse
(One is Retiring)
$10,000
7 Weeks of Lessons
(Private)
$385
7 Weeks of Lessons
(Group)
$280
Hay
(Recurring Donation)
$20/ Month
What is therapeutic riding?
WHAT WE DO
Therapeutic horseback riding is an equine-assisted activity that uses horses and is focused on activities to help people with a variety of challenges achieve specific goals. These goals can be physical, emotional, social, cognitive, behavioral, and educational.
About TEC
The Therapeutic Equestrian Center, a 501C3 non-profit agency located in Holyoke, MA at the base of the Mt. Tom State Reservation, offers individualized recreational and therapeutic horseback riding lessons to children and adults with a variety of physical, emotional, and educational challenges. TEC has been a NARHA (PATH-Certified) member center since 1985, making it one of the oldest PATH-Certified and MA-licensed Therapeutic Riding Centers in the country.
GERALDINE O’CONNOR PAGE
Executive Director
Therapeutic Equestrian Center
For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins
~ Melissa James
Therapeutic Riding Benefits
The benefits of Therapeutic Horseback Riding touch a variety of individuals living with challenges ranging from children on the autism spectrum to veterans learning to live with PTSD. TEC is more than just a riding center; it’s a community where participants find hope, resilience, and friendship. With your help, we can continue to offer life-changing experiences to those who need them most. TEC offers mounted and unmounted programs to individuals as well as to schools, rehabilitation facilities, veterans agencies, and a variety of other social, academic, and medical agencies.
Physical Benefits
Riding helps to decrease muscle tightening and stiffness in riders through the horse’s body temperature and improves motor function and core strength.
Psychosocial Benefits
The horse’s ability to recognize human emotions and provide an intentional response can improve self-esteem, self-presence, independence, and feelings of freedom.
Our PATH-Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors
Nora Britton
The barn manager at the Therapeutic Equestrian Center and a certified therapeutic riding instructor, Nora is passionate about therapeutic riding and animal-assisted therapy, working with riders of all abilities. Starting as a volunteer at 10 years old, Nora considers TEC her second home.
Nancy Karp Getchell
Nancy Karp Getchell is a vocational instructor at Cutchins Programs New Directions School specializing in connecting students to the world of work through internships. She holds extensive certifications in therapeutic riding and equine-assisted growth and learning (EAGALA) and has taught at TEC since 2005.
Geraldine O’Connor Page
Executive Director of the TEC in Holyoke, Geraldine has dedicated her career to equestrian therapy. She leverages her extensive experience and certification to promote the therapeutic benefits of horseback riding while also managing her own farm, Legacy Farm, in Easthampton.
Lynn
Starting as a young volunteer, Lynn combined her expertise in Occupational Therapy with PATH certification to become an instructor, where she brings joy and growth to riders of all ages. Her lessons are full of laughter and a deep focus on building connections between riders and horses. When she’s not at TEC, Lynne works as a school-based Occupational Therapist and enjoys caring for her own horses, exploring nature, and crafting.
Success Stories
TEC is more than just a riding center; it’s a community where participants find hope, resilience, and friendship. With your help, we can continue to offer life-changing experiences to those who need them most. Hear from some of our riders about how the TEC program helped them live their best lives.
Michael
“We moved to Massachusetts and my son has autism, and the first resource we found was Therapeutic Equestrian Center. They received us with open hands and we were able to get him in classes, which was the first activity that he did. The teachers, the volunteers, the center is so welcoming. As a child with disabilities, he’s been able to enjoy this [equine therapy] that is fundamental for children with disabilities…. We need these centers for these children… They love animals and this, neurologically and physically, is very good for them.”
Sandra W. – Mother of Michael, Rider
Jeffrey
“Jeffrey has Angelman’s Syndrome and we’re part of a research of natural history project at Children’s and one of the recommendations was THIS! Some people with Angelman’s lose their ability to walk, so we were so excited to know that he does this already. Small little thing that comes with this, he never wore hats as a little kid. You have to wear your helmet. And that’s his sign for horseback riding.”
Ann D. – Mother of Jeffrey, Rider
Emma
“We were very lucky. The first time we did it, we were able to secure a grant to just try it out… she loved it so much and we saw so many wonderful benefits for her that we’re like, oh whatever we need to do, we’re gonna keep going…It’s also just been wonderful, she’s a little shy, but when she’s on that horse she’s not shy at all. She sits up straighter, she looks older in a moment. She grows on that horse. It’s been a lot of help too… She started balancing better, getting more strength in her hands and legs, it helped her catch up on the development she missed out on at first.”
Lisette M. – Mother of Emma, Rider
Torin
“Fast forward 12 years and I’m still the secretary of the board. It’s just been a great privilege to learn about this community and learn about the great work that they do, and to meet all these incredible families and the riders especially, and seeing all the joy on their faces. It makes it all worthwhile… My favorite part is seeing the impact with the families, really, is the biggest part. When you have events like today’s Annual Horse show where you can witness how the riders get so excited by both the participation and the possibility of getting a prize. It’s really the community.”
Torin Moore-TEC Board Secretary
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