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Celebrating 50 Years of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding
Celebrating 50 Years of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding
Loudoun Therapeutic Riding (LTR) is celebrating its 50th anniversary on Saturday, Nov. 23, with a black-tie gala at Salamander Resort & Spa in Middleburg. The theme is “celebrating the great horses and great people that have made 50 years possible.”
Kate Tweedy, daughter of Secretariat’s owner, Penny Chenery, is the Honorary Chairperson for the event. The gala will be emceed by local personality Laticia Headings and have live music from local band, Jumptown. The evening will include a sitdown dinner, video retrospective and live and silent auctions.
“We’re really excited to be having our gala at Salamander, a place known for its inclusivity and welcoming environment along with five-star ratings for dining, spa and accommodations,” said LTR executive director Laura Smith. “For years LTR has welcomed people to the barn with love, trust and respect, our core values, Salamander has excelled with similar ideals.”
Loudoun Therapeutic Riding was founded in 1974 by Leonard Warner and Barbara Baird at Morven Park Equestrian Center. The program was originally designed as a pilot program by the Loudoun 4-H Riding Club and the Agricultural Extension Department at Virginia Tech.
By ’74, Baird was trailering ponies to Morven Park, Foxcroft School and to the 4-H Fairgrounds for lessons. The program moved in 1975 to Montresor Park in Leesburg for the next ten years. In 1985, LTR moved to Longfield Farm in Lincoln for two years. In 1987, the program was relocated to Loudoun County 4-H Fairgrounds.
LTR remained there until 1995, when the program returned to Morven Park Equestrian Center in Leesburg. Finally, in 2021, LTR achieved its dream of finding a permanent home at what was previously known as Lucia Farm in Lovettsville, where it remains to this day.
Over the last 50 years, LTR has helped 13,750 students with challenges connect to the healing power of the horse and partnered with 115 therapy horses (donated or free-leased) to provide the highest quality of services to its students.
“Our founder, Barbara Baird made her living as a nurse and ironically worked for Averell Harriman, for whom the Harriman Grill at Salamander Resort is named,” Smith said. “I think she would be delighted that we are celebrating 50 years of the program she founded on property that used to belong to the Harrimans.”
These past 50 years would not have been possible without the outstanding efforts of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding’s staff, volunteers, horses, and donors. To date, LTR has had over 1.19 million miles walked in the dirt by over 5,000 volunteers.
Early benefactors of LTR include Paul Mellon, Mrs. A. C. Randolph, Mrs. Forrest E. Mars, Ricard R. Ohrstrom, Mrs. Samuel E. Bogley, Mrs. James Wiley, Alexander Mackay Smith, Joseph M. Rogers, and David Rust.
“In an old newsletter from 1998, I found a tribute to Paul Mellon thanking him for ‘opening the gate,’” Smith said. “He was one of two donors that enabled the launch of Loudoun Therapeutic Riding in 1974. The gate is still open at LTR to people with special needs thanks to all the people who have donated their time, money and horses to make 50 years possible.”
Details:Go to https://ltrf.org// for more information on gala tickets and sponsorship opportunities.
