Lexington, Ky. – US Equestrian is pleased to announce that it has awarded more than $128,000 in USEF Opportunity Fund grants to 13 USEF Community Outreach Organizations in the fund’s second year. 

The 2023 USEF Opportunity Fund grants will support a range of projects, from expanding programming and purchasing safety equipment to infrastructure improvements and business operations support. Grantees are listed below in alphabetical order: 

 

Beachwood Center for Wellbeing (Charlestown, R.I.) 

Beachwood will use this grant for programming costs associated with the services and therapies offered to their clients. Also, the grant will be used for updates to their new facility in Wellington, Fla. 

Ebony Horsewomen (Hartford, Conn.) 

Ebony Horsewoman will use the grant for operating costs to fund horse care,feed, and staffing needs.  

GallopNYC (New York, N.Y.) 

GallopNYC plans to use the grant for programming support services for their clients directly.  

Horse SenseAbility (Sherborn, Mass.) 

This grant will be used for programming costs to support at-risk youth and young adults. These participants develop life skills by learning about, caring for, and being with horses in a peaceful, rural setting. 

Horses N Heroes (Ocala, Fla.) 

Horses N Heroes plans to use the grant to help with programming costs to support economically disadvantaged girls in the Ocala community.  

Horses of Hope (Isabela, Puerto Rico) 

Horses of Hope is in the process of moving locations to expand the services offered. The grant will be used to assist with this transition as well as facility improvements.  

Kentucky Horse Park Foundation Mustang Troop (Lexington, Ky.) 

The Mustang Troop, based at the Kentucky Horse Park, plans to use the grant to enhance programming. By increasing the staff and herd, the Mustang Troop hopes to serve more youth in the area. 

Kindle Hill Foundation Charity (Blue Bell, Pa.) 

Kindle Hill will use the grant for program fee assistance resources as well as advancement of internal operations with purchase of HIPAA-compliant technology.  

Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center (Redmond, Wash.) 

Little Bit will use the funds to purchase new horses for programming. The goal of seven new horses would allow Little Bit to expand on the current services offered. Additionally, this would allow for a few of their horses to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. 

Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue (Dover Plains, N.Y.) 

Lucky Orphans will use the grant to supplement participant costs in the youth development program and the equine assisted therapy program.  

Manes for Movement (Torrance, Calif.) 

Manes for Movement has added a new horse to the herd. This grant would be used for operating costs of feed, shelter, and farrier/veterinary care.  

Maryland Therapeutic Riding Inc. (Crownsville, Md.) 

Maryland Therapeutic Riding will use the grant to purchase two BEMER horse sets to enhance the health and wellness of their 16 horses.  

Taking The Reins (Los Angeles, Calif.) 

Taking The Reins plans to use the grant to support the operating costs of horse care, feed, and staffing needs.  

 

Learn more about all of the USEF Community Outreach organizations here. 

“I can’t say enough about these Community Outreach Organizations. I have learned so much about their missions, values, and operations over the past two years, and it’s just amazing to see and hear their stories and how they work with horses to help so many people, said Tom O’Mara, President of US Equestrian.  

“This started with US Equestrian members, from all around the country, identifying the need to connect with these organizations, and then it was easy to pitch the Community Outreach Program to the USEF Board and get an enthusiastic buy-in to make this work,” said O’Mara. “USEF staff and volunteer members have worked diligently to make this all happen, so thank you to all who’ve kick-started such a worthwhile undertaking. We have members, sponsors, friends, families, and event organizers all pitching in. This really shows the power of our US Equestrian community. I encourage you to take some time and scroll through the links and learn more about the organizations.”

These grants were awarded through a competitive grants request process. One hundred-percent of funds raised for the Opportunity Fund are dedicated to supporting the USEF Community Outreach Program and its recognized USEF Community Outreach Organizations. These organizations can be found across the country and are committed to bringing horses to traditionally under-represented and/or under-served communities, including active military and veterans; low-income individuals; people with disabilities; Black, Indigenous, and people of color; and more. The USEF Opportunity Fund aims to extend the reach and impact of these outstanding organizations to improve access to horses and bring the joy of horse sports to as many people as possible. These grants were made possible by the generous contributions of the USEF Board of Directors, members, partners, and competition organizers. Please consider supporting the Opportunity Fund and make a donation today.  

About USEF Community Outreach Organizations  

Recognized USEF Community Outreach Organizations are united by their standards in their mission to provide equine-based learning opportunities and to support the positive impact horses can have within their local communities. These organizations must meet certain standards of horse and human welfare, including USEF Safe Sport requirements and abiding by the USEF Non-Discrimination Policy, as well as offering their services for free or on a sliding scale of fees based on financial need, and more, before being recognized through this program. 

How You Can Help  

• Opportunity Fund – Donate today to help fund grants for the USEF Community Outreach Organizations.   
• Shop USEF – Show your support with the purchase of a USEF Community Outreach Program pin. 100% of the proceeds from pin sales will be contributed to the USEF Opportunity Fund.