FACT SHEET
Mission Statement: Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the lives of disabled children by providing a high-quality program of therapeutic horseback riding and related activities.
Awards: Our student Anthony Fusaro was posthumously chosen the NARHA Youth Equestrian of the Year. Our horse Cocoa received the NARHA Therapy Horse of the Year award and our volunteer, Ken Bergstresser, received the NARHA Region 11 volunteer o the Year award.
Xenophon, established in 1993, is a Premier Riding Center accredited by North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, a national governing body which regulates therapeutic riding programs in the US. (Web site: WWW.NARHA.org). The accreditation is a process whereby Xenophon is evaluated on 78 different criteria to insure a safe and meaningful program. This process is very similar to a school accreditation in that trained site visitors come to review the program. Xenophon passed with a score of 100% in 2002 and again in 2007. Xenophon is the only Accredited Center in Alameda and Contra Costa County.
Students: 45 per week with 20 on wait list.
Lessons: 30 minutes in length. All lessons are tailored to the individual needs of the student. Lesson plans are written for each student.
Fees: Xenophon’s fee is set at $45.00 per lesson. There is a scholarship program available so no one is turned away because of inability to pay. This fee covers only 20% of the costs of putting on the lessons.
Disabilities served: Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis,
Noonan Syndrome, Asperger Syndrome (similar to autism), Developmental Delay. We also serve students who have various other disabilities that are less common.
Horses: We have six horses of various breeds. All our horses undergo extensive training that enables them to do the job of a therapeutic riding horse.
Instructors: We have eight Registered Therapeutic Riding instructors on our staff. The registration process is conducted by NARHA and is lengthy and comprehensive and insures knowledgeable and competent therapeutic riding instructors. Two of the instructors have masters degrees in counseling.
Volunteers: We have about 60 volunteers who work with us in various capacities.
Board of Directors: Our board is comprised of professionals, parents, and other community members. The board meets on the fourth Monday, every other month. This is an active, involved board.
Sessions: We have three six-week sessions per year. The program runs from June through October.
