How Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding is helping others live a more active life

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD) – A local organization is using horseback riding to empower children and adults with disabilities to live more active and fulfilling lives.

From the moment you step foot on the Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding’s Johns Island farm it’s easy to see the peace and purpose through partnerships there.

Some of the children are largely non-verbal, yet in the calm environment on the far, they are able to communicate with their equine partners easily, navigating them around cones in their lessons, and taking care of their mounts before and after a ride.

“We are a 501 C 3 nonprofit that works with children and adults with disabilities, but we work with quite a wide range, we have a veterans program, we have public school programs, we have individual therapeutic riding programs as well, and we just started doing specific group programs, we have worked with a grief support system, and an addiction recovery group as well, so we have a wide range of individuals that we serve in our community,” Ryan explained.

Charleston Area Therapeutic Riding continues to expand, and as it grows at a rapid rate, they need more resources to continue to serve the Lowcountry. Those things look like facility upgrades, more full-time staff members, and always more volunteers to help raise those life-saving funds.

The facility is inviting the community out to its farm on Saturday, October 19 for their 9 ^th annual Pony Up Family Funfest from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. There will be kid-friendly games, prizes, food and drinks, live music, and a pony parade.

“I would encourage everyone to come, because first of all it’s a fun afternoon for your family, but also for you to learn more about CATR, and kind of what we are doing,” said CATR’s philanthropy director, Grace Ryan.

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