RDS's HTR Facilities



Your tour guide will be Marisa, owner of Ree Dee Stables and co-owner of the HTR

Welcome to HTR's main branch!

Ree Dee's Stables is proud to announce the opening of our new branch. We are affiliated with the HOCK: Therapeutic Riding Association. In order to cater to all disabilities, RDS has added many new facilities. I would now like to take everyone on a "tour" through our new facilities.

As you drive into the Echo Valley Mountain Range, white fences line the one lane road. You can see the mountains behind the gorgeous, sprawling, rolling acres. RDS is situated on 467 acres total. To your right appears a driveway entrance and a white RDS sign. You stop at the guard and gate and are welcomed and allowed to enter. (Security purposes..RDS has many horses worth a lot with great show records!) Ahead the driveway splits into three branches; 1) a sign points and says, "To the house". 2) Ree Dee's Stables. 3) Ree Dee's Therapeutic Riding Center:HTR branch. As you turn down number 3 you see a large four acre paddock to your right with two cute and adorable ponies that are used for our program. Ahead you approach the facilities. First I will take you through the barn.

The RDSTRC (Ree Dee's Stables Therapeutic Riding Center) barn holds up to 15 horses that will be used strictly for those with disabilities whether it be mental or physical and to all degrees. These horses are carefully chosen and must go through a series of tests to be approved by the HTR. We preferably like calm, quiet, middle aged, well schooled horses or ponies that are great with children.

Everything in the barn is Handicap accessible ranging from entrances to bathrooms. From the end of the barn isle is the indoor arena. The arena has two mounting blocks and ramps (wheelchair accessible). The barn and arena doors are all electronic and censored. We also have two outdoor arenas. One is sand and fairly small. This is used for those who are just beginning to ride without assistance such as a leader or side walker. The next is full of obstacles such as little bridges, cones, barrels, poles, rings, several forms of learning aids. Attached to the indoor is a lounge. The lounge is heated and also wheelchair accessible. This is where we store the rider's helmets (which all must wear), refrigerator, first aid kits, microwave, bathroom, couches, table (to eat at), and viewing windows into the arenas.

Now we enter the office. This is where we store all of our students medical and release forms. All furnishings are hard wood and very maticulate.

That's it for now! Hopefully we soon will be able to expand. Mail Marisa (ReeDee23@aol.com) if you have any questions about RDSTRC or HOCK: Therapeutic Riding Association.

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last updated: 7/2/98 by Pam