SPIRIT mission statement
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Mission:

SPIRIT is a nationally recognized nonprofit that provides education, personal growth and therapy using horses for children and adults with all types of all abilities and disabilities.

Vision:< P> SPIRIT is an established non-profit educational organization providing a unique, comprehensive, and broad reaching equestrian program for children and adults which:

• improves the quality of life, as well as the physical, emotional and mental well being, of all clients in an atmosphere of cooperation, respect and commitment in an equestrian environment.
• develops the communication, social and living skills of clients and volunteers through their involvement in equestrian-related activities.
• is recognized as a new and independent therapeutic riding program which is of value to clients and the community with a philosophy based on the concept of people helping people to excel and grow.

The SPIRIT Program works to:

• Identify and define the need of numerous physically disabled riders so that a plan can be  developed to fill their potential and integrate these success in real life through the para-equestrian program.
• Create the environment for the non-disabled young population to learn about life skills (communication, tolerance, personal management, team skills and team building) to improve self-esteem, and to develop a positive way of thinking by functioning directly in the therapeutic and/or para equestrian program as part of the team.
• Offer solutions for providing appropriately trained horses for the equestrian part of program (leasing, borrowing, donations); training for all horses will be based on natural horsemanship and for riders based on empathy, communication skills, respect and positive attitude and potentials of each client.
• Offer educational and promotional programs, and publish materials related to program activities to teach and serve as a model for organization that seeks to provide similar services.
• Provide, support and start similar activities according to the needs and potential of the population in any location or site.

Who benefits from our program?

The program provides a significant, positive difference in the lives of all participants. Among those who benefit are:

• People with disabilities, irrespective of age, who are candidates for therapeutic and hippo therapeutic riding programs;
• Independent riders with physical disabilities in Para equestrian program;
• Teenagers and young adults involved in developmental and educational segments of the program;
• Clients of all ages and abilities involved in the project;
• Parents and families of clients;
• Organizations that provide services for and/or support disabled citizen, and
• The community at large.

SPIRIT OEP is a 501(c)(3) Virginia corporation that offers different equestrian activities for people of all levels of ability in order to improve not only their equestrian skills but their quality of life as well.  The program is modeled based on the needs of each group of clients.

Our goals are:

To provide respecting national and international standards:

• Hippo therapy (AHA)
• Therapeutic riding (NARHA)
• Para equestrian (FEI -USEF)
• Other equestrian disciplines as life improving activities (USEF)

Promoting:

• Exhibitions (documental and artistic)
• Presentations
• Competitions
• Publishing materials related to main project

Educating:

• Lectures about human-equestrian relationship and potential results.
• Clinics-- natural horsemanship related to improving empathy, communication and social skills.
• Equestrian organizations, therapeutic riding centers, medical schools and/or mental health professional organizations, rehabilitation centers, neighborhood schools and community organizations.

Providing for clients according to their needs and abilities:

• Individual lessons
• Group lessons
• Camp programs
• Seasonal and Permanent programs
• Equestrian and Para equestrian competitions

As a unique, comprehensive and broad-reaching equestrian program, SPIRIT affords all its riders with therapeutic equestrian instruction and experiences.  These equestrian experiences will improve the participating riders equestrian skills to their highest potential, but also promote self-esteem, communications skills and personal growth.

The therapeutic and equestrian services can be provided at offsite locations, including shows, private residences/stables, and public demonstrations, as well as at the SPIRIT home stable and riding center.  The program will seek to fill needs not currently met by other therapeutic riding programs in the Washington, DC region and will promote a training/coaching philosophy unique to SPIRIT. 

SPIRIT will serve therapeutic riders, able-bodied riders, young people and adults who want to learn about horses and personal service.  It will provide support to young people who need structure and form in their lives and young adults who want to reach one-step further to establish equestrian goals, benchmarks for success, and opportunities to compete.

The program will provide port opportunities for students to participate in local, regional, national and international competitions. 

SPIRIT OEP will provide opportunities for any child or young adult.  As a result participants in the program will learn equestrian skills, group interaction and teamwork. The program also will encourage and support personal goal achievement.  The SPIRIT program will be developed and implemented in a manner consistent with the development of positive energy and confidence in all participants, irrespective of ability or physical/emotional/physical status.   

The therapeutic program will conform to all NARHA standards.  Through the therapeutic riding elements of the SPIRIT program, able-bodied riders would be encouraged to help riders with special needs to succeed in all aspects of the program.