Pegasus Farm Mission and History
Pegasus Farm Mission
The mission of Pegasus Farm is to create a community that holistically supports and empowers people with diverse needs through therapeutic equestrian programs, vocational services, and recreational and social activities.
Who we serve
Pegasus Farm serves over 500 individuals annually. Our program participants range in age from 3 years to 75 years, with the majority being between the ages of 4 and 20. These individuals may face emotional, behavioral, cognitive, developmental or physical challenges or a combination of these conditions.
Pegasus Farm is dedicated to the idea that equine assisted activities provide exceptional physical and psychological benefits, challenging participants to positively learn and grow in ways they may not experience in day-to-day life. We provide over 13,000 hours of lessons each year.
The Farm is one of four therapeutic equestrian centers in Northeast Ohio that are certified as a Premier Center by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship, International (PATH). We are currently serving individuals from eight different counties.
On a weekly basis, more than 200 students participate in our therapeutic programming and applications for new students are taken throughout the year. There is typically a waiting list, but every effort is made to appropriately place a student as quickly as possible. The average wait is 4 to 6 months.
History of Pegasus Farm
Located in the Canton-Akron area of northeast Ohio, Pegasus Farm was founded in 1986 by three Canton City School teachers who envisioned an equestrian center that could offer children with special needs the opportunity for physical activity and recreation.
Pegasus Farm opened in the spring of 1986, with five students, two horses, and one backyard, and grew to 70 students in its second year. Donations and volunteer labor led to building a nine-stall barn, acquiring more horses, and a windfall of other goods and services including feed, tack, and riding helmets. From the beginning, volunteer staff demonstrated a strong commitment to quality, striving to offer services that were based upon best practices and established industry standards.
Because of this strong early effort, Pegasus Farm became one of the first facilities to be accredited by PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International) in its first year of operation. The Farm has successfully maintained this accreditation at the "premier" level, which is the highest level of accreditation PATH offers.
Additionally, Pegasus is accredited by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) which sets national standards for group riding programs. All of Pegasus' instructors are individually certified by PATH Int. and by the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA) in one or more categories of instruction and at one or more levels of achievement.
Over the past 35 years, with the generous support of individuals, organizations, and foundations, Pegasus Farm purchased land and built a heated indoor arena that allows us to serve at our current capacity. Today, Pegasus Farm is one of the largest, most programmatically diverse therapeutic equestrian centers in the United States.
In an effort to more comprehensively serve individuals with special needs, Pegasus Farm began providing adult day services to adults who have developmental disabilities. Five days each week, individuals gain work experience in the Wings program, learning employment and independent living skills. A small business, Pegasus Farm Country Store and Gardens, was established to serve as a worksite. The Country Store offers bulk foods, including gluten-free and organic food products, local products, fresh garden vegetables (in season), and craft items. The five-acre Wellness Garden provides not only work experience opportunities for our Wings program, but also all-natural, fresh garden vegetables, fruits, and flowers for our community.
Participants have the opportunity to do therapeutic equestrian driving and horsemanship instruction. The fees received for providing this service contribute to covering the operating expenses of the Farm. In 2013, a non-medical transportation service was added to the program, which provides additional service to those in the Pegasus Farm Wings Program.