SARI - www.sari.ca
SARI Therapeutic Riding is located north-west of London in the town of Arva and is one of OnTRA's larger member centres. Founded in 1978, SARI provides a year-round therapeutic riding program for approximately 70 riders - adults, teens and kids - and oeprates a summer camp for 64 children and teens.
To keep such a large program operating smoothly, SARI employs five office-staff members and relies on five volunteer assistant riding instructors and over 200 volunteers to assist with all the jobs involved in running a centre as successful as SARI.
Because SARI's primary focus is on promoting the therapeutic benefits of riding, with lessons geared to producing the best possible results for each rider, SARI staff routinely consults a physiotherapist and occupation therapist to help perform new rider assissments. Once staff and the professionals have completed their assessments, goals are set for each rider. With goals clearly defined, individual lesson plans that help riders achieve their goals can be created.
Although right now SARI's barn houses 11 horses and ponies used mostly for riding, the centre has plans to reintroduce a cart-driving program in the near future.
When it comes to fundraising, SARI staff, riders and volunteers are an enthusiastic bunch. One of their annual events - a popular ride/walk-a-thon held each September - produces great results in terms fo both funds and promoting awareness of their programs and services.
To keep such a large program operating smoothly, SARI employs five office-staff members and relies on five volunteer assistant riding instructors and over 200 volunteers to assist with all the jobs involved in running a centre as successful as SARI.
Because SARI's primary focus is on promoting the therapeutic benefits of riding, with lessons geared to producing the best possible results for each rider, SARI staff routinely consults a physiotherapist and occupation therapist to help perform new rider assissments. Once staff and the professionals have completed their assessments, goals are set for each rider. With goals clearly defined, individual lesson plans that help riders achieve their goals can be created.
Although right now SARI's barn houses 11 horses and ponies used mostly for riding, the centre has plans to reintroduce a cart-driving program in the near future.
When it comes to fundraising, SARI staff, riders and volunteers are an enthusiastic bunch. One of their annual events - a popular ride/walk-a-thon held each September - produces great results in terms fo both funds and promoting awareness of their programs and services.