Longtime Geist resident Libby Marks-Shepard is opening Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center in the Lafayette, Ind. area. Therapeion will accept clients from all over central and northern Indiana.

While most therapeutic riding centers focus on serving disabled persons, Therapeion will focus on serving victims of abuse and youth at risk.

Marks-Shepard is a North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) certified therapeutic riding instructor and an experienced natural horsewoman. She is Parelli Level One certified and belongs to NARHA, the Equine Facilitated Mental Health Association (EFMHA), the American Paint Horse Association and the Pinto Horse Association of American. She is also a member of the Indiana Horse Council and serves on the Therapeutic Riding Committee. In addition to her work at Therapeion, she is a published author and a licensed pharmacist.

Therapeion’s Pilot Program for children who have been victims of abuse will begin in June 2007. The children who will be participating in this program are being referred from Tippecanoe Child Protective Services (CPS). Starting this fall, Therapeion is planning to expand the program to several classes per week plus will begin a youth at-risk program. The program for battered women will begin in the spring or summer of 2008.

Marks-Shepard states: “The name of our program wasn’t an accident. Therapeion is a Greek word that means “healing of body and spirit”, which perfectly describes the work we will be doing.”

Therapeion will offer two programs for victims of violent crime: the program for abused children, Ride to Renew, and the program for battered women, Ride for Life. While these are very different populations the treatment principles will be very similar.

“The most important part of this process is the bond that develops between the horse and the client,” explains Marks-Shepard. “The relationship that develops between a rider and a horse builds trust, is an emotional outlet, and is a source for affection and love. We utilize riding and horse care activities because these activities and the resulting relationships between the horse and rider have been shown to provide an effective form of therapy. In addition, these riders will be developing horsemanship and riding skills, which build self confidence.”

Therapeion’s youth at risk program, Ride On, will consist of weekly barn management, horse care, and horseback riding lessons for youth in alternative education programs or youth that are referred by the courts, CASA or CPS.

Program participants will be required to provide community service hours at Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center in order to participate. This work will include cleaning stalls and equipment, grooming horses, assisting in medication and horse hygiene activities, assisting in horse shoeing and trimming and grounds maintenance. The youth will receive one free riding lesson for each two hours of service completed. They will also receive classroom training in horse anatomy, hygiene, feeding and care.

An integral part of the Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center programs will be the volunteer mentors. Mentors will be recruited and carefully selected from the communities surrounding the center, including the Geist area.

The volunteer mentors will receive training in safety, horse handling and grooming, behavior modification and listening skills. They will work alongside the Therapeion instructor, helping youth and adults in these programs to build competence, confidence and cooperation and improve communication and learning skills.
Therapeion Therapeutic Riding Center has applied to become a 501©(3) public charity. If you are interested in learning more about the Therapeion programs, would like to find out more about how you can help, or would like to make a donation to Therapeion, visit www.therapeiontrc.com.

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