HEART Love a Horse

HEART is a Washington State Charitable organization and a Federal 501(c)3. HEART’s mission is to rescue horses that may be candidates for euthanasia, rehabilitate them and return them to a useful life in lesson programs and activities for young people and disadvantaged youth. Fifteen horses currently support the programs provided through Relational Riding Academy in Cheney WA. The public face of the HEART organization is the Rescue Horse Drill Team, the only cowboy Dressage Drill Team active in the US. In addition to the Volunteer Drill, the new Youth Drill Team will focus on learning and riding opportunities for riders 10-15. Children in HEART programs also participate in lessons, day camps, horse shows, and special activities that HEART horses attend. Consistent with HEART’s mission to improve the lives of children, an active Scholarship program provides funding for young riders through national, regional and local organization’s youth programs. In 2016 over 3,000.00 in Scholarship funds will be distributed.

HEART horses travel too. Hardworking, talented HEART students are currently raising funds to go to the 2016 Cowboy Dressage World Finals in California! Not every trip is that big. Each summer, two special horses spend the day at West Central Episcopal Church Youth Camp, taking children that had never touched a horse, on rides. HEART horses regularly attend community events, and have even visited folks in special care facilities. HEART’s acronym is an appropriate one and describes the place that every volunteer comes from when working with the horses or the children. In their words, “First we save horses, then we teach children to ride.”