Following the 2024 PNHS, the PNHS Foundation awarded grant funding to 41 therapeutic riding centers, equine rescues and other equine-assisted services programs. Now, in the lead-up to the 2025 PNHS, we are shining the spotlight on many of these recipient organizations!

A Broken Spur Riding Academy is a 501(c)(3) organization and Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International Member Center specializing in equine-assisted services, including therapeutic horsemanship to individuals with disabilities, veterans and able-bodied riders.

How has the PNHS Foundation grant impacted your program’s ability to serve your community?

The Pennsylvania National Horse Show Foundation grant has been a tremendous blessing in helping to offset some of our costs and provide financial aid assistance to some of our participants who could not afford to participate in our equine-assisted services and therapeutic horsemanship programs.

Can you share a success story of a horse or participant who benefited from your program?

We have one student who has been participating in our programs for two years now. He is a high-functioning, nonverbal student on the Autism spectrum who started with us at age 20 and is now 22. He has shown progress in multiple areas throughout the years. 

When he first started, he showed no signs of verbalization and has since started communicating slowly and verbalizing ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answers to our questions. He also needed to develop more leg and core strength and required the constant assistance of a horse leader and two side walkers, but with consistency and dedication, he is now an independent rider! He does sometimes show signs of not understanding a task or an instruction in his lesson and shows frustration, but he quickly works through it and can walk and trot independently. He has done amazing and loves participating in our programs.

What future goals do you have for your program and how can additional support help? 

One of our major upcoming goals is to send our Founder/Executive Director and PATH International Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor and Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, Sarah Dorsey, to become a PATH-Credentialed Mentor. Then, she will be able to train and certify two additional staff members, allowing the programs at A Broken Spur to service more individuals in the community.

We also hope to add additional services, such as an equine-facilitated psychotherapy program, if we can find a Licensed Credentialed Mental Health professional to join our team. Last but not least, we hope to add a veterans program to our center and to grow our volunteer program. 

Is there anything else you’d like donors/grant supporters to know about the impact of their support?

Each donor, grant supporter, sponsor and volunteer helps to aid in growing our programs and engaging more students within the community with our programs. We are very blessed, thankful and grateful for the generosity and compassion of our donors, grant supporters, sponsors and volunteers. They help riders and participants to succeed – without them, our programs are not possible.

You can learn more about us by visiting our website at www.abrokenspurwv.org.