Centenary University’s TRAC program receives $20,000 grant to expand equestrian access for special needs riders
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. (Warren County) — TRAC (Therapeutic Riding at Centenary) has been awarded a $20,000 grant from PATH Intl., a global organization that advances professional equine-assisted services supporting more than 53,000 individuals with special needs.
The university’s adaptive riding program is one of the few collegiate training grounds in the nation for students pursuing careers in equine-assisted services.
Disbursed over two years, the PATH Intl. Bob and Toni Mallet Access Grant will support diversification of program offerings, helping to reduce the waitlist for TRAC. The program provides equestrian opportunities for adults and children with physical and cognitive disabilities, as well as specialized populations such as military veterans, at-risk youth, and residents of assisted living facilities.
TRAC participants benefit from equestrian experiences that can yield physical, social-emotional, and cognitive improvements, while enhancing goals such as balance, strength, and sensory integration. The grant will also fund three paid internships annually for enrolled Centenary University students working toward certification as PATH Intl. certified therapeutic riding instructors (CTRIs).
TRAC currently serves 95 individuals annually with a staff of three credentialed professionals, along with trained volunteers from the university and surrounding communities. The program typically has a waitlist of 10 for its therapeutic riding and horsemanship sessions, which can result in a wait of more than a year, according to Karen Brittle, director of TRAC and assistant professor of equine studies.
“Ten people on a waitlist may not seem like a large number, but when you consider that TRAC’s therapeutic riding program generally serves 25 individuals in any given session, that number is significant,” Brittle said. “Typically, individuals wait between 12 and 18 months for participation—and sometimes longer. We’re so grateful to PATH Intl. for this grant and their commitment to TRAC and our participants.” Brittle noted there is currently no waitlist for TRAC’s veterans programming.
Centenary is a higher education member of PATH Intl., with TRAC designated as a Premier Accredited Center. In recent years, PATH Intl. has recognized TRAC staff and participants for excellence. TRAC participant Vika Christian was named PATH Intl. Youth Equestrian of the Year, and the university’s resident veterinarian, Jesslyn Bryk-Lucy, D.V.M., was named PATH Intl. Veterinarian of the Year for Region II. More recently, Brittle earned PATH Intl. certification as a master-level therapeutic riding instructor—the highest certification offered by the organization.
