Marion Therapeutic Riding Association (MTRA), Ocala, Florida

🌟 Only 3 Days Left! 🌟
We’re getting closer to Give4Marion, and we can’t wait to see the impact we can make together! Help our riders Ride, Heal, Thrive by supporting MTRA on September 17th. Your generosity provides transformative experiences through therapeutic riding for those who most need it. Let’s make every dollar count!

🌟 Only 4 Days Left! 🌟
We’re getting closer to Give4Marion, and we can’t wait to see the impact we can make together! Help our riders Ride, Heal, Thrive by supporting MTRA on September 17th. Your generosity provides transformative experiences through therapeutic riding for those who need it most. Let’s make every dollar count!

🎉 Two Big Events, One Incredible Cause! 🎉

We’re kicking off Give4Marion in style, and you’re invited to join the fun! First up, we’re hosting a Kickoff Party at Green Gaits on Friday the 13th at 6:00 PM, and trust us, it’s going to be a night to remember! Enjoy live music from Peaches and Karim while we are celebrating! Come out, bring the family, and celebrate with us as we gear up for an exciting week of giving back. 🎶🐴

But wait, there’s more! On Tuesday the 17th at 5:30 PM, head over to Hiatus Brewery for our official Giving Day Party! Enjoy craft brews, great company, and the chance to support MTRA while having a blast. 🍻✨

Don’t miss out on these two incredible events! Let’s come together, have fun, and make a big difference for MTRA!

🥞 Pancakes, Pancakes, and More Pancakes! 🥞

Get ready for a flipping good time at our Give4Marion Launch Party at MTRA! Join us on Tuesday from 9AM - 11AM for a pancake feast like no other! We’ll be flipping flapjacks non-stop, so bring the whole family for a morning of fun, delicious pancakes, and supporting a great cause!

Don’t miss out—come hungry, bring your smiles, and help us make a difference one pancake at a time! 🐴🎉

🤩 RIDER SPOTLIGHT 🤩
Anthony began riding during the spring session at MTRA. As a lifelong rider before suffering a life-changing health situation, he longed to get back in the saddle, though he needed a careful and safe setting with support to make this possible. That’s when he and his family found their way to MTRA. Anthony could mount using the ramp with the support of his instructor, volunteers, and his mother’s encouragement.

In no time, it became apparent that Anthony would make great physical progress while sitting astride a horse. He connected instantly with Stella, a sweet and attentive Quarter Horse mare. Stella sensed Anthony’s energy and started slow and steady as he built his confidence. She turned with a slight shift of his rein and a light application of his leg. Before long, Anthony no longer needed his sidewalkers, and soon after, his horse’s lead volunteer unhooked the lead rope, only acting as a spotter.

Anthony's smile grew with each achievement! He began dunking a basketball with the hand and arm he previously couldn’t lift above shoulder level. He started giving high fives with both hands when he had previously been unable to open his hands independently. He began collapsing into a full embrace with Stella after each ride, grinning from ear to ear.

The triumphs that Stella and Anthony achieved together may seem small to some, but for them, they were affirmations of “he can” and “he will…” Just watch and see!

🤩 RIDER SPOTLIGHT 🤩
Jenae has been riding with MTRA for years now… she has competed at Nationals, and she has grown as a rider and also a young, mature leader among her peers. She was told she would likely never be able to canter, and yet, against all odds and paired with her trusty mount, Goldie, she reached her lifelong goal of cantering for the first time this past year! Her accomplishment was met with quiet cheers and a round of applause from her peers and volunteers, because in the many years that Jenae has been riding at MTRA, she has also been volunteering, learning life skills and job readiness skills, and making friends along the way. She has taught new volunteers the ropes, encouraged young riders and their families, and gained confidence her mother is so proud to see! Jenae is a part of the Bridge to Success Program and pours her heart and energy into volunteering with horse care, class work, barn chores, and more.

TikTok · BTS Check out BTS’s video.

🚀 One Week to Go! 🚀
We’re just a week away from Give4Marion, and we need your help to help others Ride, Heal, Thrive! Your donations support vital programs at MTRA that empower individuals through the healing power of horses. Get excited, and get ready to give on September 17th! 🐎❤️

🫶 A Mother's Tears of Joy: The Life-Changing Magic Happening at MTRA 🫶

As an instructor, I don’t always realize the impact of what we do day in and day out… and then one day, a parent holds my hand and looks me in the eyes with tears in her own and a smile and nodding. Through tears of joy, she expresses the sincere awe and joy over seeing her adult son riding a horse on his own again as we peel back the supports level by level until he became independent, the gratitude for her son smiling and counting the days until he comes to ride again the following week, the hope in seeing him use his right hand after years of not opening it up independently, the laughter over seeing him interact and play pranks on his instructor, and the love for each moment, for the horses, for the team of volunteers, for the instructor, and for the very environment at MTRA that allows for confidence, hope, trust, connection, and healing to happen. There are no words to describe the feeling of knowing your purpose in those minimal words, the hand squeeze, the embrace of a hug, and the smiles that reach the eyes, but it is there, and it is magic.

🌟 Ride, Heal, Thrive 🌟
We’re less than two weeks away from Give4Marion on September 17th! At the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association, we see lives transformed every day through the power of therapeutic riding. Get ready to make a difference by supporting our mission to help riders heal and thrive. Stay tuned for more details on how you can contribute! 🐴❤️

Trivia Tuesday (3 Parts):

Who can guess…

1) this equine hero’s name?
2) this herd member’s breed?
3) and this amazing horse’s age?

Winner gets to hug said horse 😁🐴

🌟 Save the Date! 🌟

Mark your calendars for Give4Marion’s Giving Days on September 17th -18th! This is your chance to make a difference in our community by supporting the Marion Therapeutic Riding Association.

Your generosity helps us provide therapeutic horseback riding to individuals with emotional, physical, and intellectual challenges empowering them through the incredible bond between rider and horse. 🐴❤️

Stay tuned for more details on how you can get involved and help us continue to change lives. Together, we can make a big impact!

📅 Save the Date: September 17th - 18th 📅

We are just a few weeks out from the Bling & Denim Hoedown held at Silo Oaks in the Villages brought to you by the Villagers For Veterans! Individual tickets are available for $50 or you may sponsor a table for eight at $400. Please let us know if you would like to get a ticket today!

Proceeds will provide scholarships for Veterans to participate in our Equine Assisted Therapy at Marion Therapeutic Riding Association. Veterans are not charged to participate in our programming as a small thank you for their acts of service for our country.

Tickets are available at: https://www.ticketor.com/v4v/tickets/bling-and-denim-hoedown-276454

Thank you to Ms. Patti and her amazing team at for the delicious dinner and service this evening at the .intl Region 5 Conference! It was a great kick off with presentations on horse and human connection with the , grant writing with the , and updates from the PATH Headquarters and Ms. Kathy Alm herself!

Special shoutout to for sponsoring our swag bags for the .intl Region 5 Conference. We are grateful for the support for our organization and community Seminole has provided through the years! Welcome to everyone coming out for the conference. We hope you all enjoy and learn a LOT!

To anyone attending the PATH International Region 5 Conference August 16-18, we have worked with The Equus Inn to block out rooms at a special rate. Many have booked already; however, if you still plan to book if you would like to be included in the special rates, please schedule your stay ASAP as any unused rooms will be offered to the public beginning next week.

Alright… post today is to see who can guess the herd member this snout belongs to and what is he/she doing here? There are certainly hints we can give if needed…

“Whoever dedicates his life to searching out particular connections of nature will spontaneously be confronted with the question how they harmoniously fit into the whole.”
~Werner Heisenberg

There is a harmonious connection and sense that overcomes many of us when in contact with the horse. There are many ways to find yourself in this world, but for the individuals and families we serve, the horse is often the catalyst for healing and hope and development that other methods have not quite accomplished sometimes. This is the magic of equine assisted learning and therapeutic riding!

Update: our power is back on!

Please be aware we do not have power at the barn this morning. That means no phones either. No idea when it will be resorted but will let you know when we have more information.

Checking in from the farm… all horses are safely accounted for and fences in tact!

How are all our people faring out here?

Special thanks to our staff and volunteers who came out and have been working away at this tree which took out some fencing and our main water pump that runs water to our fields. They have been clearing away debris so we can get to the pump, repairing fences, and manually running hoses and water out to the different pastures to keep the herd hydrated. Thank you for going the extra mile!

We want to give a HUGE shoutout to our amazing team of volunteers for cleaning up limbs, putting clean fly masks on, and fixing fence boards along the with braiding contact tags in manes and additional storm prep.

Thank you:

Dawn
Penny
Donna
Dianna
Vickie
Connie
Art
Kristian
Brook
Addisen
Alek
Levi
And our great group of teens!

We appreciate you ALL so much!

That smile you have over getting to ride your first horse love again during summer make up session! We loved this reunion, with smiles and hugs abundant, and this lovely rider proclaiming her love for Wesley here and also insisting on her love for her regular ride and current Horse of the Year, Ernie!

“I have learned that there is more power in a good strong hug than in a thousand meaningful words.”

~Ann Hood

Summer session can be hot, and it is imperative to monitor heat index and humidity along with rider and horse welfare. This happy duo enjoyed a short lesson in our new shaded round pen courtesy of equi_fence followed by a cherished hug 🩷

Describe in three words how horses have had an impact on your life? 🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

Good morning, good morning!!

Update on camp, we still have one opening available for this week’s camp which runs Wednesday through Saturday! We had one opening the second week come available, and week three is full!

Call today at (352) 732-7300 or email [email protected] if you would like to register for the last space in week one or two, or if you have any questions.

Camp dates are:

Week 1: July 17-20th
Week 2: July 24-27th
Week 3: July 31- August 3rd

Special thank you to our camp T-shirt sponsor, Equifence Of Florida! We appreciate you!

So far this year, you all have helped make a difference at MTRA in so many ways! See how your support has impacted our riders and our mission:

The CEP's Equine Initiative Ocala, presented by Pyranha hosted its first Equine Initiative 201 event today. It is great to see the efforts for the Ocala Metro Chamber and Economic Partnership and Louisa Barton advocating for the industry and helping this community continue to connect and find purpose through our equine businesses and missions! Great things are happening, and if you want to be in the know, follow them for more information!

The economic impacts are HUGE, which is easily noted in the increases from the studies conducted in 2014 to the one conducted by the American Horse Council in 2023. This is exciting and encouraging news for our Bridge to Success kids and young adults learning lifeskills and job skills through volunteering at MTRA with hopes of finding placement in the equine community! If you would like to learn about our Bridge to Success program or connect as a possible internship or mentoring role for our young adults to help them further their skills, please contact us! We would LOVE to partner with others to help our youth find their way in this world.