Community

Community Partnership Advisory Board

The Partnership Advisory Board is purposed with assuring that THP adheres to its Mission to deliver a facility in partnership with the community. The Board meets regularly and its membership is as follows:

  • Kent Arnold, DVM, Director THP
  • Paul Allen, Director THP, President of the Buffalo Soldiers
  • Steve Barnett, Director THP, Equest Board Member
  • Erin Cook, CBS Radio
  • Jerry Finch, President of Habitat for Horses
  • Beverly Lytakir,Girl Scouts Tejas Riders Leader
  • Molly Mayes, Director THP
  • Marguerite McClinton, Director THP
  • Donna Orr, Board Member Habitat for Horses
Partnerships

One of Texas Horse Park’s most outstanding features is the unique outreach opportunities and community partnerships that will be established. In partnership with other local nonprofit organizations, the Texas Horse Park will create diverse programs that pair youth with rescued horses, host horse riding camps for local youth, collaborate with 4-H clubs, and provide mentoring opportunities for school aged youth. Through these programs adolescents can develop, practice and improve healthy interdependence, social accountability, responsibility and self mastery. The Texas Horse Park will provide a supportive structure with activities that are goal-oriented and allow the students to experience success and rediscover a sense of mastery and self worth.

Scholarship Riding Programs

The Texas Horse Park Community Partnerships committee is in the process of developing the specific programs that will be facilitated at the THP School of Horsemanship. All programs will focus on giving children in the Southern sector the opportunity to work and play with horses. Interested children will go through a “graduated” process modeled after the Boy Scout merit badge program. Initially, the child will accomplish tasks that require limited horsemanship skills. As the child’s experience and exposure grow, the children will be given more responsibility and tasks that require a greater level of skill. When a student has reached a certain point in his or her training, he or she will have the opportunity to enter the lesson program either as a “work to ride” student or as a scholarship student. The School of Horsemanship will also facilitate “Discovery Days.”

Black Stallion Literacy Project

The purpose of the Black Stallion Literacy Program is to use Walter Farley’s “Black Stallion” series to motivate 1st grade students to learn to read and to inspire a love of reading in 4th grade students. The program is first adopted by a school or classroom. Then, the teacher is given enough hard copies of The Little Black Pony (for 1st grade classrooms) and The Black Stallion (for 4th grade classrooms) for each student to have their own book to keep. Experience has shown that, as the children read about the horses and relate to the characters in the book, they are inspired to continue their pursuit of literacy. At the end of the unit on the Black Stallion series, the students then take a field trip to meet the “real” Black Stallion and Little Black Pony. In many schools, because funding is low and the students’ families often cannot help offset the cost, field trips cannot be taken because of gas and rental bus prices. The Texas Horse Park’s proximity to the City makes it a perfect location. The Texas Horse Park Community Center is where the South Dallas students will travel to meet the characters they’ve read about in their classrooms. There, they will be enriched by the opportunity to interact with the world they’ve only read about. Read more

Dallas County Buffalo Soldiers

In partnership with the Texas Horse Park, the Buffalo Soldiers will have the opportunity to expand their program to reach a greater number of students. Together, THPI and the Buffalo Soldiers plan to approach the Dallas Independent School District about supporting a 4-H program for children in the Southern sector. With the Buffalo Soldiers’ home base, the Joppa Rodeo site, so near, the partnership is a perfect fit.

Girl Scout Tejas Riders

The Texas Horse Park will offer the Tejas Riders an exceptional venue at which they can host competitions, demonstrate their riding skills and accomplish community service hours. The Tejas Rider program is for Girl Scouts in grades 7-12. Currently, the riders are based at the Perot Stables in Palestine, TX. The program is designed to develop horseback riding skills and provide service to younger girls through outreach workshops and assisting with weekend troop riding. In partnership with the Texas Horse Park, the Tejas Riders expect to expand their influence and increase the community’s access to their programs. The program directors are eager to connect with the South Dallas neighborhood and hope to attract girls that might not have had the opportunity to be a part of the Girl Scouts Tejas Riders had the Texas Horse Park not been built in their neighborhood. Read more

Communities in Schools

Communities in Schools and Texas Horse Park are in the process of working to develop curriculum for student assemblies that highlight horsemanship and the value of equestrian pursuit. We will also incorporate a “horse day” during the summer camp.

Equest Therapeutic Riding

Founded in 1981, Equest was the first organized therapeutic riding program in Texas. Today, they continue to be one of the largest and most effective programs in the state. Over 200 adults and children move closer to independence each week as the rhythmic movement of the horse naturally moves the rider’s body in a manner similar to the human gait, improving posture, balance and muscle control. Their facility in Wylie, TX is well maintained and efficient, but it is simply outgrown. At the Texas Horse Park, Equest will enjoy state of the art facilities devoted exclusively to the service of disabled riders. Set apart from the School of Horsemanship and the competition facilities and backed up to the beauty of the Great Trinity Forest, the Equest barns, arenas and offices will be a haven for those who come each week to experience progress in their journey to mobility and independence. The Equest Board of Directors and staff also look forward to serving a new demographic of people who might not have been able to travel out to Wylie, TX for care. Read more

Habitat for Horses

Habitat for Horses is a multi-faceted organization dedicated to improving the lives of horses and humans. This organization provides equine rescue services to law enforcement agencies, an active equine adoption program, an equine education center and equine assisted services to youths and adults. Currently, Habitat for Horses is based in Hitchcock, TX but they have no permanent barn and very limited office space. At the Texas Horse Park, Habitat for Horses will have a barn that is solely devoted to rehabilitating and retraining rescued horses. They will have the opportunity to enhance their valuable work through an increased volunteer base and exponentially greater resources. Read more

Southern Methodist University (SMU)

We are working on a partnership with the SMU Equestrian team that would provide the opportunity for the team to have a barn solely for their use. Read more