Whitewater Therapeutic & Recreational Riding Association

                                                                     GIVING A LEG UP since 1994
                                                                           Making  a Difference
                                                  touching lives, enriching communities one ride at a time

Whitewater Therapeutic and Recreational Riding  Association(WTRRA), a grassroots non-profit in the rural community of Lemhi County, Idaho, has been Giving A Leg Up, touching lives and enriching communities through adaptive and therapeutic equine-assisted programs for over 3 decades.  This unique approach creates far-reaching results that carry over into everyday life.  WTRRA's equine programs connect families, friends, and communities by serving a broad age spectrum and range of needs.  We are asking for your support as we plan the 32nd year of making a difference for individuals and families with special challenges.

Whitewater Therapeutic Riding is a Premier Accredited Therapeutic Riding Center that meets an extensive set of standards and procedures set forth by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Riding International (PATH Intl.) to ensure the safety and quality of equine-assisted activities and therapies.  Instructors are certified by PATH-Intl, and volunteers receive in-depth training.

Quotes "Miracles Happen Out Here Every Day"
"This place brings me a kind of peace."
"Seeing my son smile and laugh is a gift."
"Therapy can be hard work,  but when I do it on a horse, I smile."
"To touch and smell a horse makes me feel like I have been lifted on top of the clouds."  

Mission: 
 To affect the quality of life for individuals and families, youth at risk, the elderly, abused and neglected children, and veterans through equine-assisted activities and therapy. (EAAT)

Whitewater Therapeutic Riding provides recreational and therapeutic programs from April through October, serving an average of 50 individuals ages 4 to 90.  Special needs served include cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury, and autism. We also serve nursing home residents, veterans, and families. 

Vision:
To serve Lemhi County by providing a quality equine facility where the benefits of equines are promoted through education, recreation, and therapeutic activities.

The  WTRRA equine center is located on 12 acres within the city limits of Salmon, Idaho, providing easy access for participants and the community. The facility includes a large indoor arena, a trail course, and two outdoor arenas, enabling instructors to offer a variety of classes and experiences tailored to individual goals.  The facility is open to the general public when WTRRA programs are not in process, providing a quality venue for  4-H and FFA equine activities, youth sports, and community activities.  During the large wildfires in Salmon in 2022, the U.S. Forest Service used the arena as a fire camp to house hundreds of wildland firefighters.

The Beginning:
A young mother of two children with disabilities had a wish! She wished that her children could have horses in their lives.  She understood that those relationships are special and wanted to make it possible for her children.  Her determination led her to The North American Riding for the Handicapped (NARHA), now known as PATH Intl. (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International).  Through trainings provided by this international organization, she and the children's early childhood therapist gained the knowledge and credentials required to start a therapeutic riding program in Salmon, Idaho.

Community support, 7 horses, and $400.00 to register as a 501 (c) (3) made the wish a reality in April of 1994.  Her children rode, as did many others facing special challenges.  Thirty-two years later, the organization continues to make a difference in the lives of individuals and families in Lemhi and Custer Counties. A mother's wish is making a difference for many.

**Those children are grown, but they continued to ride as part of a therapeutic program in another state.