Part of the TherAplay and Premier Equestrian team celebrating the completion of the new arena. (Photo courtesy of Premier Equestrian)
Carmel, IN (July 17, 2018) – For the volunteers and staff at Children’s TherAplay, the kids’ needs come first; but without horses they would not be able to make such a lasting impact. Thanks to Premier Equestrian and a generous grant from United Way International (UNICEF), the horses and handlers now have state-of-the-art footing to work on.
The mission at Children’s TherAplay, located just north of Indianapolis, is to provide children with special needs a foundation for developing life skills through innovative therapies, including equine-assisted physical and occupational therapies, in a safe and caring environment. With over seven hundred treatments a month, the horses, handlers, and side walkers spend a lot of time in the arena working with the children to tackle strength, balance, coordination, and sensory processing challenges. With all that time on their feet, or hooves, they needed to renovate their old “footing” which was a thin layer of dusty dirt set on an uneven base.
TherAplay Arena completed and ready to support its two and four legged walkers and handlers. (Photo courtesy of Premier Equestrian)
The team at Premier Equestrian and Austin Wood from Diamond W Contracting, LLC came to the rescue with the perfect solution to meet the specific needs of Children’s TherAplay. The arena received the full upgrade treatment, starting with laser leveling the base before installing the OTTO Sport-PerforatedMats. This state-of-the-art mat system will hold moisture throughout the day and reduce the concussion for both four legged and two legged workers. With the addition of ArenaAid to the silica sand, Premier created a grass root-like surface that not only provides cushion, cupping, rebound, and grip as well as increased moisture retention.
Premier Equestrian was thrilled to be involved with this project. “TherAplay has put an emphasis on creating a solid therapeutic center for children while creating an inviting, safe and non-clinical environment. The arena is a critical part of the total therapies offered. By creating a stable, clean, non-dusty surface we helped them provide a superior place to heal,” said Premier Equestrian footing expert, Keri Homer. The walkers and horse handlers walk and average of eleven to thirteen miles per day on this surface. Most are volunteers and the new footing has helped them along with the horses.
United Way International has been involved with Children’s TherAplay for quite some time. They provided the grant that enabled the arena upgrade as well as a revamp of the therapy rooms and offices for the organization. Children’s TherAplay center has the potential to be a cornerstone for other equine assisted therapy centers in the future.
Premier Equestrian prioritizes the health and safety of equine athletes and has been studying how arena surfaces impact equine biomechanics for over a decade. All Premier Equestrian’s premium-grade footing materials are expertly developed and thoroughly tested to assure consistency and superior quality.
The company also offers free consultations and sand analysis reports so riders of all levels can create the perfect combination of materials for optimum riding surfaces. For more information on Premier Equestrian, or to request a free catalog, a free arena-footing sample or sand analysis, please call 800-611-6109 or visit www.PremierEquestrian.com.
