Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska

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United States
Anchorage, AK
Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska

Please visit our website for more details, and for information about Equidome rental (look under the Rental tab for contact numbers).
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Our site office is currently closed for the winter, but the Equidome is available for rental. If you are interested in a rental, please go to the EATA website and look under the Rental tab for information. For other questions, please contact us at [email protected]. We will get back to you within 1-2 business days, if not within a few hours. Thank you for your understanding. Pro

grams and Services

• Equine Assisted Activites / Adaptive Riding
• Hippotherapy; a tool for physical, occupational or speech therapy

Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska’s programs provide benefits to children and adults who are living with physical, emotional, or intellectual disabilities, currently serving 79 riders a year. Children under six years of age make up 25% of the program’s riders. School age and teen riders, ages 6-18 represent 27% of our riders, with the remaining 48% being adults. Racial and ethnic demographics of our clientele are 61% Caucasian, 32% AK Native, 5% Hispanic, 2% Asian. EATA sessions are run by licensed occupational, physical, speechlanguage therapists/pathologists, or mental health specialists with a PATH certified riding instructor. During sessions, clients ride a therapy horse and work to fulfill the goals set by the therapist. There are unique challenges not present in clinical settings. For those with limited mobility, the horse's gait provides a unique opportunity for the client to move his or her body in a manner similar to walking. This movement exercises their legs and back and strengthens their confidence and self-esteem. EquineAssisted Activities (EAA) are the many activities that occur at the center, whether the rider is on the horse or not. Activities may include stable management, grooming, learning basic horsemanship skills, shows, and other demonstrations. The goals vary from rider to rider, yet a general goal is to work on self confidence, teamwork, social development, and to gain independence. This environment also improves the rider's core strength, manual dexterity, and flexibility.

02/09/2024

With deep regret, EATA’s Board of Directors announces that the summer riding therapy program is cancelled for 2024.

Janie Call, our wonderful Program Director, let us know in January that she is retiring. She has given her all for the program for the last 14 years, including wintering the EATA horses on her ranch in Oregon and driving them up the Al-Can and back every year. She has been the heart and soul of our program and has given selflessly of her time, patience and kindness. We will miss her greatly and wish her well as she spends more time with her family.

Also retiring are three of our four horses. Rocky and Hank have gone to live with Janie’s sons on nearby ranches. Blondie is retired on Janie’s ranch, sponsored by a long-time EATA volunteer. We appreciate our horse friends and are happy they have a beautiful place to live out their lives.

So what does this mean for EATA? We simply do not have the funds or time to recruit a new director or buy horses in time for the summer season. We are sorry to disappoint our riders, who we know look forward to their summer horse time. We are also sorry to disappoint our amazing volunteers, who get as much back as they give to the program.

Going forward, we hope at some point to reorganize and be able to offer equine assisted therapy once again. We know the value it has to the community. The Anchorage Horse Council will continue to operate the William Clark Equestrian Center and provide that service to Anchorage horse lovers.

We will let you know of any future developments. Thank you to our many followers and friends for your support over the years. Not good-bye but until later!

EATA Board of Directors

01/19/2024

Thanks again to all who donated to keep the EATA horses fed this winter!

12/13/2023

Holiday greetings from the EATA herd! Feeling festive in their winter pasture!🎄

Address

3900 Abbott Road (Between Lake Otis & Elmore)
Anchorage, AK
99507

Website

http://equineassistedtherapyalaska.org/

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