Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska is back in the saddle offering summer riding sessions

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Alaska summer has arrived and Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska is back to helping people of all ages with physical, emotional and cognitive disabilities.

“We use horses to do riding therapy,” said volunteer coordinator Cindy Luther. “Lots of therapists come to us and bring their clients.”

The therapeutic horsemanship program works to get riders comfortable with a horse at their South Anchorage arena, and then takes them for a ride on the surrounding hillside trails.

“We keep growing each summer and at some point,” Luther said. “We are not going to have enough room for everybody, but the program is growing as more people find out about it.”

EATA did not offer equine-assisted therapy in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but was able to do so last summer. The nonprofit said it’s always looking for volunteers to help lead horses, side walkers, front scouts and pooper scoopers.

Copyright 2022 KTUU. All rights reserved.