KEEPING FOCUS ON
Our Mission
Our mission is to achieve the following goals through therapeutic horseback riding lessons to individuals with a variety of disabilities:
- Increase muscle strength, flexibility, and coordination.
- Encourage positive emotional behavior, and social interaction.
- Improve memory, speech and learning skills.
- Provide a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.
- Promote an overall sense of well-being.
- Raise self-esteem.
Making plans to launch our Capital Campaign to build our indoor arena and finish the complex so we can go from a part time seasonal program to a full time year around program.
Expanding our Horsepower Summer Camp from 4 week to 5 weeks.
Partnering with The Brian Onell Jr Foundation to provide an one time amount camp for suicide prevention called MY VILLAGE
Development an online Volunteer and Participant Training in partnership with Leadership Berkeley and the 167th Airwing
Raised money for phase 1 of indoor arena through the Unity Campaign powered by the United Way
2023Served over 200 individuals with 19 horses through our Therapeutic Riding Program, Equine Learning Programs, Mini Hearts program, Equine Assisted Leadership Development workshops and our Horsepower Summer Camp
Raised money through the Unity Campaign powered by the United Way to add asphalt to the complex to allow those in wheelchairs and mobility issues a safe pathway around the farm.
2022Added one more Path Intl Certified Riding instructor and two Path Intl Equine Specialist. 3 Horsepowered Reading Instructors
Started our partnership with Mountaineer Behavior Health to assist individuals in their addiction recovery
Started our Horsepower Summer Camp providing Equine Learning and Horsepowered Reading to K-2 students with Jefferson Co. Schools and the Boys and Girls Club
Raised money through the Unity Campaign powered by the United Way to add an Equine Learning Building
2021Eight individuals received the Path, Intl Equine Specialist Certification to provide equine assisted learning sessions
During COVID-19, only missed the spring semester.
Provided a COVID Relief Program for first responders
Started our partnership with Leadership Adventures, Inc and started providing Equine Assisted Leadership Development Workshops
Started our Mini Hearts program
Raised money through the Unity Campaign powered by the United Way to build our hay storage building
2020
Let's Talk About
Were We're Going Next
From the creation of Horses with Hearts, we have looked to the future. Over the years we’ve continued to dream, first of our forever home. In 2014, HwH was fortunate to receive 31 acres of land generously donated by Trinity UM Church in Martinsburg, WV. Many hardworking volunteers have invested time and energy in preparing the land for the horses and arena, removing rocks, building and painting fences and installing lights and water. In 2016, the Women Investing in Shepherd (WISH) awarded a grant to provide a handicapped accessible restroom on the farm, and Bucky Hess donated a two-year lease of a farm tractor. These critical community-wide first steps began the journey of making the dream a reality for which we at Horses with Hearts are deeply grateful.
The efforts to turn this dream into a reality continue. With ongoing community support, our future goals include:
- Expanding our property to include an indoor arena, outdoor arena, sensory trails, barns and office/meeting spaces;
- Becoming a full-time therapeutic riding program;
- Working within our Public School System, and
- Working with our Veterans and Senior Citizens.
Our next two immediate goals are interdependent. It is our intention to become a full-time therapeutic riding program allowing individuals to enjoy and benefit from equine activities 12 months a year. To accomplish this it is necessary to move forward with the construction of an indoor arena to provide a controlled environment in which to conduct programming year-round. Completing this arena will increase HwH’s services by 500%.
The arena will consist of a climate-controlled indoor riding area, classroom, sensory room, therapy room, office, storage space and some stalls. To build the arena, furnish the rooms and provide the infrastructure required to deliver our program effectively to assist hundreds of individuals to be physically active, enjoy the benefits of horseback riding and interacting with others, HwH is planning a capital campaign to raise the $5 million required to accomplish these goals. We will be raising the funds to begin to build in 2020 with contributions payable over a five-year pledge period. In addition, we plan on offering opportunities to name aspects of the new arena and our facilities overall.
The impact of this project once completed will transform our community. Currently we serve approximately 40 individuals per week. Because we do not have the indoor facility, we are only able to provide services six months of the year and then only on days when the weather allows. With the indoor arena, our numbers will increase to more than 200 per week, 12 months a year allowing consistent programming as we will no longer need to cancel due to inclement weather. And we know, based on the major changes we see in participants even without being able to ride every week throughout the year that this arena will result in significant increases in the life-altering benefits HwH provides.
Address
- PO Box 2186, Martinsburg, WV 25402
- 1952 Files Cross Road, Martinsburg, WV 25404
Horses with Hearts received its non-profit status from the IRS in 2005 and is now a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The program started with one horse and one rider. In 2018, we are home to 13 horses that benefit 38 children, veterans and those struggling with physical challenges enabling them to thrive in the independence our program provides. Additionally, our participants blossom emotionally with the relationships they build with their horses, our staff and others who gain strength through riding.
