ALLB provides funding for the purchase of two therapeutic horses, Jericho and Boots.
Assistance League of Laguna Beach volunteers gathered recently at the Shea Therapeutic Riding Center in San Juan Capistrano to meet Jericho, a therapy horse the group now sponsors. When the volunteers met their new sponsored therapy horse, they learned that their funding not only purchased Jericho but, through some expert negotiating, also purchased a second horse named Boots. These two new additions were especially appreciated because several horses had to be retired recently because of age.
These horses provide therapy for physically challenged children, and many of these children receive scholarships from the Assistance League for their riding therapy. Equine therapy has been proven to be one of the most effective therapies for physically challenged children, making it a natural extension of Assistance League’s Early Intervention Program (EIP), where physically challenged children get physical and occupational therapy from birth to one year or longer.
Funding a horse for physically challenged children was a high priority of the Assistance League’s philanthropic committee under the chairmanship of Jennifer Paige, who is now president of the chapter. This committee got the ball rolling and pursued all the necessary steps to fund a horse, and their efforts were rewarded when they learned they had also funded a second horse.
More information about this Laguna-based nonprofit organization can be found at www.assistanceleague.org/laguna-beach.
