Description
Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska (EATA) was founded in 1983 by Annie Mabry and incorporated in 2001. EATA's program follows the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International's (PATHi) model for excellence in equine-assisted activities and therapies.
In 2013, EATA served 78 clients from ages 3 to 68 with a wide-range of disorders and differing abilities. Clients learn to ride, steer the horse on their own, play games (therapy), go on trail rides, and groom the horses. The horse's gait provides a unique opportunity to physical therapists to work with clients diagnosed with lower-limb and spinal cord disorders in a non-clinical setting. This therapy, Hippotherapy, mimics an individual's natural gait, allowing the client to exercise the legs, back, and spinal cord in a natural and gentle manner. Licensed Hippotherapists work individually with each client, along with our certified riding instructor(s), and a team of volunteers.
Thanks to our generous donors we are able to offer free sessions to active and retired or separated veterans with disabilities from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through our Freedom Reins program.
We are fortunate to operate out of the William Clark Chamberlin Equestrian Center (WCCEC), located off Abbott Road, just before Elmore Road, when heading East on Abbott Road. Currently, we only operate during the summer, beginning the season in early-June and ending in mid-August. Our operating hours are Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM or 5:00 PM, with one night session, on Tuesdays or Thursdays, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
