GRIT Therapeutic Horsemanship

GRIT Therapeutic Horsemanship was founded in the Fall of 2020 and is located in the piney woods of northeast Texas. Our goal is to promote autonomy and independence through the means of therapeutic horsemanship. We have an innovative and integrative program that provides riding lessons that include learning skills such as tacking, grooming, bathing, groundwork, and general horse care in addition to time spent in the saddle. 

GRIT is unique in that we work with riders of all ability levels, from significant special needs to able-bodied and neurotypical, but we specialize in working with those diagnosed with "invisible disabilities" such as learning disabilities and mental health disabilities. These clients often fall through the cracks when receiving services because their disabilities may not be easily perceived. We are passionate about helping our clients reach their individualized goals and pride ourselves in providing tailored sessions. 

We strive to bring these services to rural communities in East Texas and use horses as our partners to help our clients achieve their goals, which can include improvements in mood, speech and language, mobility, memory, attention, and executive functioning. Our mission is to allow our clients independence and autonomy through equine assisted services so they feel empowered in their activities of daily living.

In addition to working with clients here at our farm, we also contract with the Tyler Independent School District to facilitate therapeutic riding lessons with their students enrolled at Boshears Center for Exceptional Programs. Boshears is a school designed to specialize in educating kids and young adults who are diagnosed with significant disabilities that may preclude them from their best learning in a traditional classroom. We work with medically fragile and significantly impaired students, from ages 4 to 21. As far as we know, this is the only program like it active in the country.