Therapeutic Riding Center begins construction of new riding facility
June 18, 2010
The Texas Tech Therapeutic Riding Center broke ground at the Texas Tech Equestrian Center on Monday in the first phase of a three-phase project to construct a new therapeutic riding, teaching and research facility.
Heather Hernandez, program director for the Therapeutic Riding Center and certified instructor with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association — NARHA — said the fundraising for this project has taken years but is worth the wait because the expansion will allow them more time and schedule flexibility with their clients and the ability to cater to their specific needs.
“We’ve been fundraising for about five years, almost,” Hernandez said, “and it’s going to be the Texas Tech Therapeutic Riding, Teaching and Research Facility and we’re building it in three phases. Phase one is the arena area, that is a 100’ by 200’ metal structure, and that is where our arena is. Phase two, which we’re still fundraising for, will eventually have offices, a classroom, restrooms, a tornado safe room, horse staging area and then phase three will be the parking lot. But what is really exciting for us is that it will be a place for therapeutic riding that is all our own.”