1. History: It all began in the summer of 1994 – Mary Nastan, a registered physical therapist, was operating a hippotherapy program in a local barn on Laurel Road in Nokomis.  It was at this same barn that Donna Blem, a recent business graduate, was boarding her horse.  Mary needed volunteers and she recruited Donna.  The connection between Mary and Donna was instant and the perfect match to build InStride Therapy.  Mary with a passion for and knowledge of hippotherapy and Donna whose lifelong journey was horses – it was the beginning of the dream.    Together they took Mary’s hippotherapy knowledge and Donna’s equestrian experience and incorporated it into the Smith Center for Therapeutic Riding. 

Sam Smith was a central part of getting this program started for its first year of operation.   Throughout the years the program grew and changed in every possible way.  Mary and Donna realized that they needed a name for their hippotherapy program to reflect who they were and what the future held.  After many meetings with a group of dedicated staff and volunteers that perfect name came to light – “InStride”.  InStride represents everything about the organization – it is the stride of the horse that challenges and enhances InStride’s special riders.  As the riders fall into rhythm with their therapy horse their hips begin to move with the horse’s hips, their shoulders move with the horse’s shoulders, their heads move with the horse’s head.  Literally, their entire body is following the same stride as the horse.  In that perfect moment, not only will you see the horse and rider in sync, but you will see the leader of the horse and both sidewalkers walk with the same stride and footfall as the therapy horse.  It is the moment we are striving for - – everyone is “InStride”.   Upon incorporation in 2006 the name was officially changed to InStride Therapy, Inc.

Following incorporation InStride contracted with the Sarasota County School System serving students at Oak Park School in Sarasota in addition to private clients at a local farm in Laurel.  InStride started with a staff of one, Ms. Blem, the Executive Director/Riding Instructor.  The therapy horses were leased and services were contracted with local physical therapists. 

In December of 1995 InStride started on the road to independence by purchasing its first therapy horse.  In April of 1996 the program moved to a private barn at the Sarasota Polo Club and acquired six more therapy horses funded by the Plantation Foundation, Venice Foundation and generous individuals. Additionally, a horse trailer was purchased with a grant from the Selby Foundation. 

What is now known as “home” to InStride was found in July of 1998 – a beautiful 76 acre site in Nokomis - high and dry, accessible to clients, established riding trails, cleared and good grazing resources. With the assistance of Cook Springs and dedicated volunteers the property became a facility to safely house the horses and run the program.  The site provided the ability to keep programs operational while planning for a future therapeutic riding facility. 

In November of 2000 InStride Therapy became the equestrian center for the Sarasota County Special Athletes.  And in 2001 InStride provided recreational riding to qualified campers of the Foundation for Dreams.   In 2003 Easter Seals partnered with InStride for hippotherapy services.

Following a highly successful capital campaign, InStride Therapy was able to purchase the leased Nokomis site in July 2001. 

The cost of the land with due diligence and feasibility studies was $1,000,000.  InStride Therapy received a commitment from The Bolger Foundation for $200,000 of this cost.  Additional funding was acquired through contributions by local foundations, corporations, individuals and special fund raising events.  By the summer of 2003, the remaining balance on the property acquisition was funded in full by an anonymous foundation.  The vision was becoming a reality!

2.  Mission
InStride Therapy is a mission-based organization that provides therapeutic riding to qualified children and adults with various disabilities. Therapies include Hippotherapy, Clinic Based Therapy, and Therapeutic Riding Lessons.

Statement of Purpose:  To improve the physical and/or neurological status of individuals with physical and mental disabilities through the utilization of the horse as the most effective treatment tool.

Vision:  InStride Therapy has developed a complete therapeutic riding facility which plays a leading role in improving the health and well being of children and adults with disabilities in our community.  InStride runs its programs with  qualified staff, volunteers, community support and funding.  InStride will continue to play a leading role in the research and development of therapeutic riding industry, which will in turn, continue to ensure the highest quality and safest therapeutic riding programs.

3.  What is Therapeutic Riding?
At InStride, therapeutic riding (hippotherapy) and other equestrian activities benefit the bodies, minds and spirits of people with disabilities. A horse's movement closely resembles the normal gait of a human and can be used to produce specific physical changes in the rider, including normalization of muscle tone, postural and balance improvements and increased strength. The horse's movement can also help mitigate sensory integration issues. A smooth-gaited, consistently paced horse can provide the input needed to help a rider establish rhythm. A rough-gaited horse may provide the stimulation needed to help organize and integrate sensory input. Movement exploration while on the horse can help improve overall body awareness. Emotionally, the success of overcoming fear and anxiety can increase a rider's self-esteem. Learning a riding skill will also have a positive effect on a rider’s self-confidence. For some of the young people involved in various activities at InStride, the farm and barn environment, the companionship and bonding with animals, and the development of new skills are all components in a successful experience. The relationships that develop between riders, volunteers, horses and staff are all integral to a positive emotional experience at InStride. Cognitively, the horse provides many of our riders with thee motivation to learn new things. Educational goals such as letter recognition and sequencing can be incorporated into riding activities. Socially, therapeutic riding activities enable individuals to interact with their peers in a group activity. Riding and the related activities are fun as well as challenging. Through the development of an individual riding plan specific to each rider's needs, the staff at InStride can develop individualized goals and objectives. We invite and encourage our riders (and their parents, guardians, teachers and therapists) to participate actively in this process, and our staff is readily available for consultation.

4.  Who Do We Serve
The riders of InStride represent all ages and backgrounds. The majority of our participants are between the ages of 2 and 11.   Most participants have varying degrees of cognitive, physical, behavioral, psychological and sensory disabilities. There is no “typical” rider, as programs are designed to benefit individuals with a wide variety of disabilities. The primary disabilities include autism, attention deficit disorder, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, spina bifida, developmental delay, visual and hearing impairments, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and amputation. Our association with Children First provides an opportunity for an inclusive “Horsin’ Around with Literacy” Equestrian Day-Camp experience for children. InStride is the home of the Sarasota Special Olympics Equestrian team.  We also serve our community through school programs at Oak Park and experiential learning opportunities provided on-site through our outreach programs. Our participants come to us from special-education classes at local schools, as referrals from physicians, social service agencies, group homes, rehabilitation or vocational training centers, and through individual referrals by other participants and friends. Our goal is to offer our programs to everyone who can benefit from them, regardless of financial means, and to make direct scholarships available to those who need them.

For more information and how to donate visit them at www.instridetherapy.org