Why Donate?

Why Donate?

The answer is simple: By giving to PATH Intl., you’re helping over 66,179 individuals each year find strength, independence and a renewed outlook on life through therapeutic horsemanship and PATH Intl. programs.

Thank you for your interest in giving to the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.), our hardworking members, and, in turn, the thousands of individuals all over the world who benefit from equine-assisted activities and therapies!

By now you’re probably at least somewhat familiar with the work PATH Intl. does. Through our instructor certification, center accreditation, educational events, published resources and advocacy work, PATH Intl. maintains the highest standards for safety, ethics and effectiveness in the field of equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT).

But why, exactly, is it so important – and so rewarding – to support this work that PATH Intl. does?  The answer is simple: by giving to PATH Intl., you’re helping more than 56,000 individuals each year find strength, independence and a renewed outlook on life through EAAT and PATH Intl. programs.  Tens of thousands of men, women and children facing physical, mental and emotional challenges are able to gain a sense of pride and accomplishment through the work of PATH Intl. and PATH Intl. members.  That’s a huge impact in a lot of lives – and something that deserves your support.

Think about the variety of people served by PATH Intl.:

• A soldier returning from Iraq with amputations and emotional trauma slowly regains his strength, dexterity and trust through interactions with his horse and his instructor at a PATH Intl. Equine Services for Heroes program.
• A child coping with autism begins to open up to the world around her as she learns to ride.  Her mount, her instructor and her fellow riders become friends, and she begins to look forward to her weekly lessons at a PATH Intl. center.
• A young man with cerebral palsy develops his motor skills while working on driving a carriage under the tutelage of a PATH Intl. Certified Driving Instructor.  His body becomes stronger and more controlled as he’s taught how to handle the horse and carriage.
• A teenager combating problems with substance abuse becomes more open, trusting and compassionate through an equine-assisted therapy program where she must partner with her horse to achieve her goals in riding.
• A young girl born with severe brain damage is never expected to care for herself, but after years of therapeutic horseback riding she is now capable of caring for not only herself, but the horses at the PATH Intl. center where she takes lessons.

These are just a few examples of the immensely diverse population served by PATH Intl. Certified Instructors and PATH Intl. Centers.  The power of equine-assisted activities and therapies has helped people with challenges like Down syndrome, paralysis, learning disorders, ADHD, multiple sclerosis and many, many others.  With your help, we can bring even more people the strength and joy that so many have already found through the power of the horse.

Here are some ways you’ll be helping PATH Intl., our members and our clients through your donation:

• By donating you’re helping more than the thousands of individuals benefitting from PATH Intl. programs each year; you’re also helping our 150 volunteer committee members develop even more programs to help people in need by funding conference calls, in-person meetings and the printing of committee resources.
• You can help bring people around the world to PATH Intl. and the power of EAAT by funding the design and development of our new website, which will be more appealing and easier to use for individuals in need of PATH Intl.’s services or wishing to become a PATH Intl. member.
• By making a donation you help make PATH Intl.’s National Conference and Annual Meeting possible, which propels new and innovative developments in EAAT and improves our current practices even more.  You also make it possible for dozens of individuals to attend our conferences who may not have otherwise been able through our conference scholarship program.
• You help make PATH Intl.’s national office run in the most effective way possible by funding things like efficient database software and a new phone system.  It doesn’t sound exciting, but our small staff couldn’t help our thousands of members every day without your invaluable contributions.

Granted, these are just a few examples of the countless ways in which your donation is put to use.  And, since PATH Intl. and our members are constantly thinking of new and better ways to run our programs and develop new ones, there are always interesting and beneficial projects that need funding!

Prefer to mail in your donation? Click here to download a donation form.