Local Charity to Sponsor Disabled Riders

NEW MILFORD, CT — A $5,000 grant from the Ellen Knowles Harcourt Foundation, a private charitable organization that assists needy students, will sponsor riders from New Milford at Little Britches Therapeutic Riding in 2019.

“We’re enormously grateful for the foundation’s support,” Little Britches president Janie Larson said. “The modest fees paid by our riders don’t cover the costs of our program, and many riders need scholarship funds to take part.”

Little Britches, a nonprofit based in Roxbury, provides therapeutic riding and equine-assisted activities to individuals with disabilities. The riders, mostly children, come from 29 area towns and have a variety of disabilities, including attention deficit disorders, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and anxiety disorders.

The grant will give students from New Milford an opportunity to take part, helping them to gain strength, fitness, and confidence as they overcome physical and emotional challenges through riding. The Ellen Knowles Harcourt Foundation is based in New Milford.

Photo provided.

Photo caption: Isabella Pelosi rides pony Bobbie, assisted by Little Britches Vice President Stuart Daly (left) and occupational therapist Cindy Winton-Bunting.