Spirit Therapies Provides Therapeutic Horseback Riding in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS - Aug. 12, 2016 - PRLog -- Spirit Therapies is a 501(c)3 non profit offering therapeutic horseback riding to individuals with special needs, and military members with physical or mental challenges. Therapeutic Riding is mounted therapy in which people with disabilities ride horses to relax, and to develop muscle tone. Spirit Therapies is the only PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) accredited, EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association) certified program in Las Vegas.

Founder Laurie Willmott has been working with horses and special needs children since 1999. "Animals are incredibly therapeutic and they don't ever judge us. Huge horses can be so kind and loving and understanding, just stand and be with you in the moment," says Willmott.  After working with a boy with a traumatic brain injury, Laurie was inspired to leave her job as a hair stylist and open Spirit Therapies in 2002. Willmott explains that their logo, a horse with wings was chosen because "Horses have the wings that we lack. Kids that can't 'fly', can fly in their minds. Horses are very spiritual allowing kids to really connect."

Spirit Therapies offer a variety of programs including Therapeutic Riding, Equine Assisted Learning (which allows students to connect with horses while on the ground), Horses Healing Heroes (serving both active duty military and veterans), and the Pegasus Program which offers grants for free services. Spirit currently has three instructors, a team of dedicated volunteers, and 7 big horses and 2 minis, and they see 35-40 students each week. Laurie lives on site, so there is 24-7 care of the horses who work 3 hour shifts with a 2 hour break if they are scheduled to work again that day.

They are looking for volunteers and donors to strengthen the organization and to offer more grants through the Pegasus Program.  What do you get for sharing your time, talent, or money? "Smiles, whinnies and horse poop," says Willmott.

For more information about Spirit Therapies visit http://www.spirittherapies.org/ or contact Sheryl Greenblatt at (702)885-4309 or by email at sheryl@classycommunications.net

The mission of Spirit Therapies is to positively impact the lives of the physically and mentally challenged through connecting with trained therapy horses, certified instructors, and compassionate volunteers.