Standing Ovation by Ovation Riding

Each Friday, Horse Nation teams up with Ovation Riding to spotlight an individual or organization doing good work in the horse world. Today, we recognize the Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center of Augusta, Michigan.

Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center Facebook

Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center of Augusta, Michigan was the first riding center in the United States built expressly for therapeutic purposes. The center has been in operation since 1970 and has developed programs that serve riders of all ages with a range of disabilities.

Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center’s mission statement is as follows:

To enhance the lives individuals who have special needs through equine assisted activities and therapies while leading the industry in education.

Who is served: Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center has developed programs to target the needs of riders of all ages with conditions including (but not limited to) mental and emotional impairments, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, autism, cancer, brain injuries and ADHD, as well as veterans, senior citizens and at-risk youth.

Volunteers: Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center welcomes volunteers in three areas of instructor/rider assistance, barn/grounds/horse duties and office/special events assistance. Volunteer training is always taking place all year long.

Horses: Cheff maintains a herd of 15 to 20 horses, many of which are kindly donated. Programs include mounted, unmounted and driving exercises, so the Cheff herd includes everything from warmbloods to ponies to a donkey, and even includes an Equicizer!

Support: Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center accepts donations in a variety of ways — interested donors can send specific items from the center’s wish list, sponsor a rider’s scholarship for a week, session or year, or make a monetary donation as well as a donation of professional services. Cheff is currently running a saddle drive to purchase an adult saddle to fit its wider horses.

For more information about Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center, please visit the center’s website. You can also follow the center on Facebook for more updates!

Many thanks thanks to Ovation Riding for their support of both Horse Nation and individuals and organizations that are doing good work in the horse world. If you know someone who deserves a Standing Ovation, we would love to recognize them in a future post. Email the name of the person or organization along with a message about the good work they do to [email protected]. Photos/videos are always welcome, and include a link to their website if applicable.