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Hello! We’re so LUCKy you’re here!

Our no-charge, trauma-mitigating, equestrian-wellness services for non-disabled students have been particularly important during “the COVID years.” Not only have many studies revealed a “pandemic within a pandemic” as incidents of domestic violence surged, but also the healing power of outdoor play, while important all the time, became even more so when children lacked social interaction in school. We feel LUCKy to have provided opportunities for safe horsing around throughout the lockdown. Today, researchers continue to find impacts of COVID-19, particularly in populations circumstantially disadvantaged by social determinants of health, and suggest that “it also is vital that healthcare providers, community-based organizations, and families help youths process the compounded effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide them with culturally relevant coping resources to successfully adapt to their environments” (Eboigbe, L. et al, 2023).

There’s No Place Like Home! LUCK has been on a long journey to find a home sweet home. Why? First, demand for our services far exceeds our ability to supply without an accessible facility. Second, spending 70% of our operating budget on transportation is not sustainable (and also is environmentally unfriendly). Third, having a barn empowers youth attracted to our programs with the choice to learn about horses, help train horses, and participate in riding programs. We are looking for 15-30 acres of clean, dry, rolling (affordable) land 35 miles from Downtown Cleveland. Preferably East, North/Northeast or Southeast of the city–this is close to the majority of the students and the families who frequent LUCK programming.

Who we are: Leg Up for Cleveland’s Kids (LUCK) is an urban equestrian program in Cleveland, OH, enhancing relationships through the healing power of horses. We are not a therapeutic riding center, but a place where kids without physical or severe cognitive disabilities can come to find a safe space. Using elements of trauma mitigation, LUCK has coined the term equine-assisted mental wellness to identify how its programs not only provide physical exercise, but also emotional support and confidence-building activities found specifically through participation in structured equestrian activities. We’re proud to offer our participants a “leg up” within and outside of the horse industry.

Your contributions are vital to our organization. Thank you for caring. We are a registered 501c3 non-profit.

LUCK is generously supported by:

  • New Beginnings Residential Treatment Center LLC
  • Trumpeter Stables at Red Hawk Farm, Newbury, OH
  • West Creek Conservancy
  • Lake Erie Institute
  • BE Fitness
  • Equine Essentials
  • Elan Equine and Elan Transportation Services
  • IdeaStream Public Media
  • Neighbor Up
  • United States Equestrian Federation
  • ….and many individuals like you!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/74b47db2-0e74-4115-a661-12b44e16bb60