DM24 week 2

We’re proud to again be part of the United Way’s DoMore24 Delaware (DM24DE) campaign coming up on March 2-3, 2023 to raise funds focused on our Programs and the Horse Herd, our “Four-Legged Therapists”.

Our horses are the foundation of the SDTR Program. A happy horse that enjoys his or her job makes for an even better lesson and happier participant.  Finding the right horse for this very special life of service is critical, and in the past year we’ve succeeded five-fold and welcomed five new well-qualified horses among the American Bashkir Curley, Mustang, Standardbred, and Registered Paint breeds. We’ve already seen how Holistic Healthcare and Natural Horsemanship have improved the quality of their new lives with us, which in turn is improving our ability to serve riders and families in our community.

We’ve invested in Natural Horsemanship techniques through the guidance of a skilled horse trainer and introduced chiropractic care on a regular basis. Just like us, therapy horses can develop tight muscles and sore spots from the work they do all day, every day with quiet patience and unquestioning precision. 

All this gives us a broader understanding to develop individual plans for each horse’s unique needs. We know these practices are giving our Herd the proper foundation to perform in a calm, confident state of mind, which we’ve seen improve our Riders’ experiences and enrich their SDTR outcomes. 

Maintaining these standards of care requires specific and on-going expenses to ensure continuity in these Horse and Rider outcomes.  

Our DM24DE funds raised will be used to institutionally strengthen this SDTR standard among instructors, handlers and volunteers so that we ensure clear, consistent communication on how the horses are being handled overall. A happy, well-balanced therapy horse creates a lesson environment that allows the participant to reach their riding goals! 

Saddle Up for What’s Next: How one special horse has thrived during her training to become an SDTR “Four-Legged Therapist.”

DGD23 Email Header

Join our community of service to Delaware by being part of the 2023 Do More 24 Delaware online fundraiser, 6pm March 2 through 6pm March 3 at our DM24DE homepage to find out how you can make your donation do even more.  You can send a generous donation to us here, by clicking donate and filling out your information! Until then, you can set a reminder by filling out your name and email to remind you on March 2nd.

The Board of Directors of Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding (SDTR) is generously matching donations up to $3,000! Please help us by donating to our page. 


We are Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding (SDTR), a 501(c)(3) non-profit affiliated with the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH) in our service to Delaware children and adults with disabilities since 1988. Our Mission: To improve the physical and emotional wellbeing of children and adults living with disabilities through equine assisted therapy in a supportive environment for riders and families. Learn more about us at www.sdtrhr.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.