Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society has served individuals with physical, developmental, cognitive, and emotional disabilities since 1998, offering a specialized and deeply impactful therapeutic riding program in the Calgary region. While our outcomes are consistently strong and the demand for our services continues to grow, our organization faces increasing pressure to sustain operations, manage rising program costs, maintain safe and reliable facilities, and ensure equitable access for all participants regardless of financial ability. Support from The Calgary Foundation is essential for maintaining program continuity, increasing community awareness, and strengthening our ability to serve vulnerable populations who rely on our work for improved mobility, independence, confidence, and overall well-being.
The core need we face is the challenge of keeping our therapeutic riding program operational in a stable and sustainable way. Unlike recreational riding programs, therapeutic riding requires highly specialized equipment, trained and certified instructors, well-conditioned therapy horses, and adapted facility spaces that meet the needs and safety requirements of participants with disabilities. These components ensure that every session is not just enjoyable but clinical, intentional, and therapeutic. However, these standards also significantly increase our operational expenses. Rising facility rental fees, increasing costs for feed, farrier services, veterinary care, insurance, and adaptive equipment have reached a level that exceeds what participant fees—kept intentionally low to avoid barriers—can cover. Many of our riders live with financial limitations, including families managing long-term care costs, adults with disabilities on fixed incomes, and children supported through social programs. For them, therapeutic riding is not an optional service; it is an essential support that can improve their physical mobility, emotional regulation, communication skills, and sense of independence. Ensuring that cost is never a barrier to accessing these benefits is a foundational part of our mission, and external funding is critical to making that possible.
In addition to financial pressures, our organization faces the challenge of limited community awareness. Although therapeutic riding is a highly effective and evidence-supported intervention, many Calgarians are unaware that programs like Opening Gaits exist or do not fully understand the breadth of disabilities we support. We work with individuals living with cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays, Down syndrome, ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma histories, and other complex needs. The movement of the horse stimulates core muscles, balance systems, and neural pathways in a way no other therapy can replicate. At the same time, the emotional connection between horse and rider creates an environment of trust, regulation, and empowerment that benefits mental health as deeply as it benefits physical development. Increasing community awareness is essential not only for reaching donors and volunteers but also for connecting families to a therapeutic option that may change—or even save—the life of a child or adult with disabilities. With greater awareness, we can reduce waitlists, advocate for broader inclusion in health and wellness frameworks, and ensure that therapeutic riding is recognized as a legitimate and valuable form of therapy.
The need for volunteers is another pressing concern directly tied to our ability to operate safely. Each rider may require one horse leader plus one or two sidewalkers, depending on their physical support needs. Without enough trained volunteers, we are forced to reduce program capacity, place families on waitlists, or turn away individuals whose needs we could otherwise support. Recruiting, training, and retaining volunteers requires intentional outreach, structured training opportunities, and the ability to offer a welcoming and educational environment. Volunteer engagement also serves as a vital point of community connection: many volunteers become long-term supporters, donors, and advocates once they witness the impact of our work firsthand. Funding that strengthens outreach and volunteer training directly increases the number of individuals with disabilities we can safely serve.
Facility rental is a major and rising cost that sits at the heart of our operational challenges. Our therapeutic program cannot run in just any arena; we need a facility that is safe, quiet, accessible, and equipped with appropriate mounting ramps and enough space for horse movement, sidewalker support, and emergency procedures. As facility fees increase across Calgary and surrounding rural areas, ensuring stable access to an appropriate arena has become more difficult. Losing access to a suitable facility would jeopardize our entire program. Support to offset these rental fees protects not just our current operations but also the continuity of services for participants who depend on weekly sessions for physical strength, emotional balance, and ongoing therapeutic progress.
We also require funding for specialized equipment that ensures safety and accessibility. Adaptive saddles, support belts, reins, helmets, ramp improvements, and sensory equipment must be regularly inspected, repaired, or replaced. Riders gain the most from our program when they are properly fitted and supported with the correct tools, and maintaining an inventory of safe, high-quality adaptive equipment is non-negotiable. Many participants require specialized tack that cannot be purchased off-the-shelf, and custom equipment can be costly. Funding to maintain and expand our adaptive equipment inventory directly increases accessibility and ensures the safety and dignity of every rider we serve.
The population we support is among the most vulnerable in Calgary. Many participants live with chronic physical disabilities that affect their mobility, posture, muscle tone, or sensory processing. Others face emotional or psychological challenges, including trauma, social anxiety, or developmental conditions that make traditional therapy environments overwhelming. For many of these individuals, therapeutic riding is one of the few interventions that effectively integrates physical engagement, emotional connection, and sensory regulation. The need for accessible, inclusive therapeutic programs continues to grow as families seek alternatives that complement or enhance traditional therapy models. Our waitlists reflect this growing demand, and additional funding would allow us to expand session availability, increase instructor hours, and accept more riders.
In short, the need is both urgent and long-term. Opening Gaits Therapeutic Riding Society requires financial support to maintain program stability, ensure accessibility for all participants, offset rising facility and equipment costs, strengthen volunteer capacity, and increase awareness within the Calgary community. With the support of The Calgary Foundation, we can continue delivering a life-changing program that empowers individuals with disabilities to build confidence, develop physical strength, and experience joy, connection, and independence—benefits that radiate far beyond the arena and into every aspect of their lives.