Capital Campaign Need

 

In just four short years, Southern Reins Center for Equine Therapy has grown from a fledgling organization serving an initial roster of 12 participants with disabilities weekly to a thriving non-profit enterprise that serves a roster of more than 240 individuals.

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Our programming and outreach has also expanded.  In addition to adaptive horseback riding, we also offer Occupational Therapy through Hippotherapy, Making Strides Recreation Therapy Program, Unbridled Horsemanship, equine assisted psychotherapy, Silver Stirrups Program, and PATH Intl. Equine Services for Heroes.

 

Our Capital Campaign was launched in September of 2017.  Phase 1 of the campaign includes the purchase of our forever home, as well as necessary facilities improvements to provide multi-layer programming and ADA compliance standards.  Phase 2 includes new construction to build additional stalls and purchase additional property that may include more direct access to the farm and additional land for our team of therapy horses.

Case for Support

 

After conducting a comprehensive strategic growth review in 2017, the Board of Directors determined that a location in Shelby County would be the ideal location for a permanent home for Southern Reins. Shelby County has 280,530 residents with disabilities, compared to 42,160 in DeSoto County. With 6.7 times the number of potential clients Southern Reins can serve, the organization began investigating opportunities for its primary operation to be in Tennessee.

 

An extensive property search began to identify potential locations; including raw land and existing equestrian facilities.  The property located at 916 Billy Bryant Road in Collierville, TN offers the ideal location and facilities needed to ensure continued growth for the program to be able to serve as many people with disabilities as can benefit. Appraised at $2M, Southern Reins 
negotiated a contingency offer of $950,000 with 60 days to raise the necessary funds for its purchase. This location, compared with the purchase of raw land and required construction; as well as other existing equestrian facilities on the market, provided the ideal resources needed for the program, and was the most practical and advantageous prospect for Southern Reins.

 

Southern Reins closed on its new home in January of 2018.  Initially projected to double the number of clients to serve more than 150 people with disabilities in its first year of operation, the organization exceeded that projection by serving 189 participants and clients.   Further, the new facility has increased our volunteer corp, as the population density within a 30 mile radius of our farm is 4 times the population density of the previously leased location in Nesbit MS. 

 

The new farm provides Southern Reins the opportunity to expand education and clinical research in the field of equine therapy; and provides the ideal platform for continuing education and research. Further, we have the opportunity to serve Shelby County Schools to provide a School Partnership Program for children with disabilities in the school systems to enhance IEP goals through equine assisted activities and therapies. 

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This next chapter will be a giant step forward
for our community. 
 

Having a property for the exclusive use of furthering our mission will advance
our ability to serve more people throughout the Mid-South. Included in our campaign are infrastructure improvements necessary to offer more lesson days and sessions, as well as opportunities to expand educational  outreach and the development of new program initiatives.