STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS—Tarleton State University’s Equine Assisted Therapy (TREAT) is seeking volunteers and sponsors for its bi-annual rodeo hosted for children with special needs. The rodeo will be held on Tues., April 15 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Tarleton Equine Center, located on College Farm Road off of Lingleville Highway in Stephenville.
Volunteers are needed to help with rodeo events such as pole bending, stick horse barrel racing, dummy roping and a farm animal petting zoo. They will also be needed for other tasks and events.
Sponsorships are also available for community members to be involved, which are used to help defray costs as well as provide food, prizes and ribbons for the competitors.
Participants in the TREAT rodeos come from many of the Tarleton service area schools including Weatherford, Mineral Wells, Dublin, Comanche, Stephenville, Hamilton, Hico, Granbury, Glen Rose and the Happy Hills Farm in Glen Rose.
TREAT is a therapeutic riding program that allows people with special needs to challenge themselves both physically and emotionally. The program also provides training for Tarleton students studying animal sciences, nursing, physical education and special education.
“The changes we see in some participants are phenomenal, ranging from improvements in mobility to improvement in social interactions at home and at school,” said TREAT Director David Snyder. “The changes brought about in the college students who work with TREAT participants are equally impressive.”
When Snyder came to Tarleton in 1993, the university didn’t offer any equine-assisted activities. Now, of the 43 therapeutic riding programs in Texas, TREAT is one of the 16 considered by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association to be a Premier Accredited Center.
“TREAT’s Special Kids Rodeos provide the opportunity for many more kids and college students to experience the benefits of therapeutic riding,” Snyder said.
To be a TREAT Rodeo volunteer or to inquire about other opportunities, contact Snyder at (254) 968-9656, or via e-mail at snyder@tarleton.edu or tarletontreat@gmail.com.
