Riders' Challenge

Main Stay Therapeutic Farm?s annual Riders? Challenge begins on Monday, August 10^th and runs through Saturday, August 29^th.  This fun and friendly competition engages our riders in fun lesson plans and encourages them to raise money for horse care costs.  This year our theme is ?We Got The Beat?!  Therapeutic Riding lessons will combine the wonderful sounds of music with horses and humans.
You don?t have to be a rider to participate. Everyone is welcome to join the Riders? Challenge.  You can sponsor a horse or create a challenge at your business and have different departments raise money for Main Stay.  Participants compete against each other to raise the most funds to help care for the special therapy horses. Participants compete against each other to raise the most funds to help care for our special therapy horses.  Prizes are awarded for the top 3 earners and all participants will receive a Riders? Challenge t-shirt.  Funds raised from the Riders? Challenge will be used for animal care costs. Animal care costs include: animal care staff, feed, veterinarian, farrier, and dental care.
Lesson plans for riders will feature different playlists that highlight rhythm and how horses have different beats at different gaits ? walk/trot/canter.   Each horse has a signature beat (gait) and each rider matches their movement and rhythm with their horse.  The three week Riders? Challenge features the following music themes:  We Got The Beat, Wild West Songs, and Dancing With Your Horse.  Riders will learn about rhythm and ride their horse in a musical freestyle pattern, just like the equestrian Olympians do!
This worldwide pandemic has cost Main Stay in excess of $250,000 in lost program fees, grants, and fundraising events.  While we were restricted from in-person programming due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we still have a tremendous amount of horse care costs which total nearly
$100,000 annually.  Whether you have resumed riding in July or plan to return in the next several weeks, Main Stay needs your help now more than ever!  Our animal care costs continue to rise exponentially.  Animal care costs include our animal care staff, feed, veterinarian, farrier and dental care.  Our goal is to raise $15,000 that will help pay for some of these horse care costs.
ABOUT:  Main Stay?s mission is to encourage, enrich, and empower individuals through the therapeutic benefits of horses, animals and nature in an uplifting and nurturing setting. Main Stay is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that serves individuals, not diagnoses.  For people who want a welcoming and diverse therapeutic environment, Main Stay leads the industry by providing the most innovative and individualized approach to Therapeutic Riding and Animal Assisted Learning activities.  Main Stay uses multidisciplinary support methods that foster success for children and adults experiencing a wide variety of physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities, as well as trauma and mental health disorders.  
NON-PROFIT EXCELLENCE:  Main Stay has earned the top distinction of Charity Navigator?s Perfect 100.00 score, listed in Charity Navigator?s ?Top Ten Charities Worth Watching?, and we have held Charity Navigator?s coveted 4-Star Rating for the past several years.  Main Stay has also earned the Platinum Seal of Transparency through Guide Star.