Great Strides of Northeast Iowa seeking volunteers and horses

This spring will begin the 21st riding season for Great Strides of Northeast Iowa, a non-profit, volunteer-run program for therapeutic and recreational horseback riding for persons with disabilities.

New volunteers are once again needed for the program.  Each rider in the program requires three volunteers: a horse-experienced person to lead the horse and two sidewalkers to walk along each side of the horse to assist the rider as needed. Sidewalkers do not need to be experienced with horses.

Training sessions for volunteers who are interested in being sidewalkers or horse leaders will be held prior to the spring, summer and fall riding sessions. Dates for the training sessions are May 2nd, July 11th, and September 5th. Each training session will run from 5:00 p.m. until 6:30 p.m.  All sessions are held at the Casper Arena, 201 Meadow View Dr., Decorah.

Those same three dates will also be times to test new potential horses for the program. Great Strides is looking for people with calm, gentle horses which might qualify for the program. Call Tom Shroyer at 563-419-1251 for more information.

For more information about the Great Strides program, and for this year's riding schedule, go to www.greatstridesofneiowa.org. On the website, you will find a link to the form that all volunteers are required to complete annually prior to participation. For further information, call Eunice Veeder at (563) 419-9033 or e-mail gstrides@gmail.com