Equine-Assisted Therapies of South Florida, Inc. is dedicated to providing therapeutic riding and activities for children and adults with special needs, so they may improve physically, mentally and emotionally. Our organization was founded in 1982 by the Soroptimist International of Boca Raton and the Kiwanis Club of Boca Raton. What originally started as a community project for the ladies of the Soroptimist Club, in a small field in Boca Raton, now serves over 100 special needs individuals throughout the year, with 11 horses. Therapeutic riding and equine-activities have numerous benefits. On a physical level, the movement of a horse mimics the 3-dimensional movement of a person’s pelvis. For an individual with physical limitations, this gives them the feeling of walking. The relationship that our students build with their horses and volunteers is priceless. For individuals with cognitive or mental challenges, our therapy helps to improve concentration, listening skills, right-left discrimination, and other important life skills. We seek to take an individual away from the ‘typical’ clinical therapeutic setting and allow them to experience the freedom of mind, body and spirit with the help of our horses.