Lis Hartel is recognized as an award-winning dressage rider from Denmark. She is also recognized as the one who gave the idea for the development of therapeutic riding. Despite being physically impaired by polio, Lis took a silver medal in Grand Prix dressage at the 1952 Olympics located in Helsinki, Finland. After this remarkable event, medical and equine professionals began to implement programs for riding in their facilities in Europe as a form of physical therapy (now known as therapeutic riding). News of this latest form of physical therapy quickly spread to the United States and Canada and therapeutic riding centers started opening in North America.
Two of the first professional therapeutic riding centers were the Community Association of Riding for the Disabled, founded by JJ. Bauer and Dr. R.E. Renaud in Toronto, Ontario, and the Cheff Center for the Handicapped, founded with help from Lida McCowan in Augusta, Michigan. Since then, therapeutic riding facilities have opened throughout the world with thousands located in the United States alone.
Therapeutic horseback riding and grooming of the horses has offered a way to help people as they overcome physical and emotional difficulties and challenges. The rhythmic gait of a horse offers benefits that can only be achieved on the back of a horse. Spastic muscles will relax, muscles that are underused are awakened, and the rider is given the experience of a new kind of freedom of motion. HOH and many other therapeutic riding facilities all over the world offer the benefits of therapeutic riding for you, a family member, or a friend.
For more information on becoming a volunteer or a rider at Horses of Hope, visit horsesofhope.org.
Also, visit PATH Intl. at pathintl.org.
Learn more about the first therapeutic riding center in North America at cheffcenter.org.
At Horses of Hope, Inc. we provide equine assisted activities to individuals with a variety of special needs including but not limited to - Cerebral Palsy, Mutiple Sclerosis, Prader Willi Syndrome, traumatic brain injury, Down Syndrome, learning and emotional disabilities, Muscular Dystrophy, Autsim, ADD/ADHD and spinal cord injuries. We also provide services to our Veterans with our Heroes & Horses program. And for those that don't want to ride, we created "In Hand Connection" program to build connections with horses on the ground, no riding. In order to meet the needs of our participants, Horses of Hope lessons are conducted by instructors and community volunteers who are dedicated to helping each individual reach their full potential.
For decades, therapeutic horse riding has offered help to people as they overcome serious physical, mental, and emotional challenges. The rhythmic gait of a horse offers the rider unique benefits that cannot be achieved with traditional forms of therapy. As the motion of the horse transfers to the rider, spastic muscles relax, under-used muscles are awakened, and the rider experiences a new kind of freedom of motion. Horses of Hope makes the benefits of therapeutic riding available to the individuals in our area through our therapeutic riding, community lessons, Heroes & Horses, and In Hand Connection programs.
Horses of Hope is so grateful for the generosity of Susan and Kyle Johnston, owners of Belle Springs Farm. They have been nothing but helpful and gracious in all we do at our new location at their farm.
Kim Roush
Kim has been riding and working with horses since she was 10 (and we won't say how many years ago that was...). Kim has a heart for riding and teaching others to ride. At one point in her life she worked in group homes with the developmentally disabled and simultaneously worked with some of the same clients as a certified therapeutic riding Instructor. Kim enjoys working with the wonderful participants, volunteers and horses at Horses of Hope!
Chris Hepp
Chris Hepp joined our staff three years ago and is currently our Trainer for our staf of five AMAZING horses. Chris volunteered at HoH 12 years ago for 2 summers and is back to stay. Chris is a grandma and happily retired.
Chris has owned horses for years and taken several clinics back and has followed Buck Brannaman’s techniques.If you ask Chris, she will tell you she has had the greatest horse of all time, Jackson.Chris has known Jackson since he was 6 months old. Chris donated her well trained horse to our Program last summer in hopes he could help other horse people learn to ride.Chris wants Jackson to be a member of the team with this one thought – “If one horse like Jackson, can make more people, than just myself, happy and feel good, then he is worth everything”.
Chris feels blessed enough to possibly make a difference in some lives with a great program, great people and lovely horses.“I have had horses for years and have always been educating myself on the best possible way to have a relationship with horses and keep them healthy and in a good mind set while riding.I try and do what is right for the horse which has never failed me. I’ve studied Buck Brannaman for years and followed his teachings which have really worked for me. I love the Lord and have strong faith that carries me through any adversity I’ve ever faced in my life. God led my horse to you which led me to HoH”.
Sue Cavanaugh
Sue adds to our list of Amazing leaders at HoH and H&H. Sue has over 50 years of experience with horses. Sue has had horses much of her life and it rubbed off on her girls. She has horses of her own at home and has a long list of horse related love and experience. Sue was a 4H leader for several years, DC (District Commissioner) for Lion Country Pony Club and Secretary for LCPC for 10 years. Sue is also a Committee Member for the Special Olympics PA Summer Games Equestrian Events for 8 years.
Sue has volunteered with Horses of Hope and Heroes & Horses for eight years and has no intention of quitting anytime soon. In Fact, Sue started her own program in May 2023 called “The In-Hand Connection” program. Sue will be teaching about horses, how to groom them, how to lead them, thus connecting with them. This will be a ground working program, no riding. Sue believes in making a connection doesn’t have to be on the back of a horse and she wants to show you how.
Jodie Edwards
Jodie is a loving mother and gram. Jodie has been a local business owner for ten years and grew up with horses and had a few of her own. She has worked with kids for many years and after moving back to area, she was looking for something to fill the void of horses and she learned about HOH. Jodie volunteered for a few years at lessons before taking on the Volunteer Coordinator position, while still helping with lessons. Jodie finds everyone and everything at the farm Very rewarding especially the love she has for all our participants. Everyone at the farm, to include the Boyz, make a huge difference on daily basis and Jodie is beyond grateful to be a part of this organization.
Laurie Bower
Laurie Bower is one of our horse handler volunteers. She is a retired experienced farm and animal nutritional consultant. She loves working with the people and horses at HOH.
Amanda Long
Amanda is a loving mother of 3 children. Currently, Amanda is an ongoing caseworker with Lycoming County Children & Youth. In her previous career she had worked with children and adults with disabilities. During this time is when Amanda first came to the barn. Seeing what the horses did for her client amazed her and she just knew she had to be a part of such a wonderful program. Amanda has been volunteering with Horses of Hope many years now and never plans to leave. She always says she is a selfish volunteer because she gets so much out of volunteering with Horses of Hope, she not only does it for others but for her own pleasure as well. Amanda grew up with horses and definitely missed being in the barn. Amanda is currently the Feeder/Horse Health Coordinator for horses of hope.
Amy Kowatch
Amy is retired, but currently volunteers as Outreach Coordinator with Horses of Hope. Amy was in the military for 10 years, after which she worked for 8 years with the Military Child Education Coalition on the Parent-to-Parent Teams on different military installations. Amy is married to Steven Kowatch, a retired soldier. They have been married for 25 years and have two children ages 19 and 22 and reside in Lock Haven.
Anne Gibson
Anne is a member of our Board of Directors and is the AMAZING Treasurer of Horses of Hope.
Laurie Flanagan
Ex. Director of Horses of Hope Laurie Flanagan came to Clinton County to attend Lock Haven University in 1988. She attained her BS in Health and Physical Education, but instead of teaching, pursued a 10-year career overseeing group homes for individuals with special needs. After getting married and starting a family, she saw a need for additional services for the special people of Clinton County. With a lifetime love of horses and learning about the healing effects of therapeutic riding available in other areas of the state, she realized how good these services would be for the local community. With a lot of prayer, hard work and help from our amazing community, Horses of Hope started offering hope and healing in 2009.
Vickie Hancock
Program Director of Horses of Hope and Founder of Heroes & Horses, Vickie Hancock was born and raised in Bellefonte and moved to the Lock Haven area in 1995 where she met her husband and started their full-time business. Together they have four kids, (of which two sons have served in the military), and 8 grandchildren. Coming from a family with a long military history, Vickie has dedicated much of her life to Veterans and military personnel in our community. In 2015, she expanded that dedication by founding Heroes & Horses. Since the founding of this Veteran’s program, many Veterans’ lives have been transformed and saved!
Our Mission
"Horses of Hope promotes the physical, cognitive, emotional, and social well-being of those with special needs to include our Veterans and military personnel, through equine-assisted activities.
We strive to encourage individuals to meet their full potential, giving hope one individual at a time."
Horses of Hope History
After realizing that the tremendous benefits of therapeutic riding were not available to the special people of Clinton county and the surrounding areas, Laurie Flanagan, Ex. Director started Horses of Hope in the fall of 2009.
The program leased a 16 acre farm in the Pine Creek area. With a Board of Directors and a handful of friends and volunteers the property was eventually made ready for horses. The riding facility became a member of NARHA (which is now PATH Intl.), which provides standards and training for therapeutic riding facilities. Horses of Hope received its 501 (c)(3) non-profit status in 2010.
Horses of Hope started its operations with three riders and one horse, which was our beautiful horse, Pumpkin. Over the years it has consistently grown and now provides services to approximately 65 riders each year. Our herd has grown to six amazing horses. Over 40 volunteers from the community come together to help with lessons and fundraising activities. With help from the Clinton County United Way offering sponsorship money to help riders who can't afford the fees, the Clinton County Community Foundation granting funding for building projects, instructor certification and much more along with the generosity of local businesses and organizations and individuals, Horses of Hope is thriving!
We are currently located in Mackeyville, PA. The program leases Belle Springs Farm on Stoltzfus Lane. The farm is a 10 acre property with a 7 stall barn, outdoor arena with breath taking views, a round pen, walking trail and pastures. We are very excited about our specialty programs expanding. Heroes & Horses is our Veterans program, which is run by Vickie Hancock. She has taken this amazing program to another level. We are honored to be able to give something back to our active and retired military personnel at no charge. In 2023 we started a third program "In Hand Connection, run by Sue Cavanaugh. This program is all about hands on the horses and building a connection without riding.
Horses of Hope is run by a Volunteer Board of Directors, Ex. Director and Program Director. A Participant Coordinator and Volunteer Coordinator along with Horse handlers and sidewalkers, who are also volunteers, assist our instructors to provide equine assisted activities at the farm. We are so thankful to the volunteers that feed the horses and exercise and care for the horses on a daily basis. It is the dedication and commitment of all involved that makes this program so special. We are blessed to have this amazing group of people!