Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center

Mission

Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center is a community where horses transform the bodies, minds, and spirits of people with disabilities.

Contact and Follow Us

Please visit our website at www.littlebit.org or call us at (425) 882-1554. Little Bit stories can be found at www.littlebit.org/blog. We are also on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Recognition

We are grateful for every gift, in any amount. Gifts received through GiveBIG Washington have a direct impact on our ability to keep our program fees as low as possible. In 2025, families pay less than 35 percent of the actual cost, depending on the program. The difference between the actual cost and the fee is offset by generous donors like you.

“My daughter, Janessa, has been in Adaptive Riding at Little Bit for 20 years. What I wasn’t ready for was the transformation that riding here has made for her mentally and emotionally. I know Janessa feels very safe and appreciated here because everyone is so friendly, but I don’t know if Little Bit realizes that it helps her to feel that way in the larger community.” — Joanne B., parent of an adaptive rider

“The connection with the animals is impressive—it’s amazing. When my son has so much stress, when he’s kind of tired, kind of down, the horse also feels how the rider is feeling at that moment. My son has stronger legs, a stronger back. He can coordinate more of his movements with his hands. He’s able to sleep better. He even eats better.” — Sonia R., parent of a therapy patient

Description

Little Bit was founded in 1976 by a woman named Margaret Dunlap. Margaret had Multiple Sclerosis and found that being on the back of a horse slowed the advance of her disease. From our humble beginnings of one horse and five riders, we have grown to be one of the largest nationally accredited, industry-leading PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International centers and one of the largest full-time therapeutic horsemanship programs in the United States.

Our primary programs include Therapy, Adaptive Riding, Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy, and Equine-Assisted Learning.

In 2024, Little Bit served over 500 unduplicated children and adults with disabilities through our Therapy, Adaptive Riding, Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy, Equine-Assisted Learning, unmounted horsemanship, and summer camp programs. Sixty-two percent of clients in Therapy and Adaptive Riding combined are under the age 18. Over 100 diagnoses are represented, with 62 percent of clients having more than one diagnosis. The most frequently seen diagnoses include: autism spectrum disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, speech delays, anxiety, Down syndrome, and attention deficit disorders.

1. THERAPY (physical, occupational, or speech-language therapy) involves the horse as a part of the treatment strategy led by a licensed therapist. Being on horseback helps achieve optimal spinal alignment and works core muscles for patients. The movement of the horse provides a three-dimensional pattern similar to the action of the human pelvis during normal, upright movement. This movement on horseback offers significant potential for improved hip development and walking, among other benefits, because the horse takes an average of 1,500 to 2,500 steps during a 30-minute weekly treatment, which leads to significantly higher repetitions than can be achieved in a clinical setting alone. Learn more at www.littlebit.org/blog/vivian.

2. ADAPTIVE RIDING focuses on increasing riding skills while gaining therapeutic benefits. The individualized lesson plans take into account the rider's physical, emotional, and mental strengths and limitations. Riders attend weekly lessons led by an instructor certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH) International, with support from one to three volunteers per rider. Learn more at www.littlebit.org/blog/brooke.

3.  EQUINE-FACILITATED PSYCHOTHERAPY (EFP) involves partnerships with local mental health professionals to provide services at our facility, working closely with equine specialists certified by PATH International. Horses are uniqely suited to this kind of therapy because they are intuitive and will react to behavior patterns and cues that people might miss, allowing the therapists and their clients to interact on a deeper level and address issues that might otherwise go unnoticed. Learn more at www.littlebit.org/blog/efp.

4. EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING (EAL) provides the opportunity for clients who are not interested in or not appropriate for mounted activities to grow their skills with their equine partners on the ground. These sessions are conducted by instructors certified by PATH International to further the participant’s individual interests. Some examples include liberty work, equine management, team building, leadership development, and more. Learn more at www.littlebit.org/blog/cancer-lifeline.