Taras Chance

Tara’s Chance is a special needs community benefit organization dedicated to promoting the physical, cognitive and social well-being of those with special needs through individualized equine assisted activities and therapies.

Tara's Chance was named for a wonderful horse that was happiest when she was working with kids. Tara made every child feel special and had a unique sense of knowing what her young riders needed. She was gentle, kind, and would show such compassion to the young people that she worked with; you couldn't help but to love her. Tara sadly is no longer with us but her heart still beats at Tara's Chance. Please come and join us and share the love that Tara so generously shared.

What began in November 2012 with one horse and one rider this past year Tara's Chance added (26) new riders into its program, trained over (50) volunteers in sidewalking, instructing, and horse leading to provide 30-minute weekly equine assisted activities to (84) special needs children in north Orange County and surrounding areas. Working with parents and caregivers to establish therapeutic goals based on individual need, clients have demonstrated improvements in physical, cognitive and social skills. Our Equine Horse Therapy program provides multidimensional movement, which is variable, rhythmic as well as repetitive. The horse provides a dynamic base of support, making it an excellent source for increasing the rider’s trunk strength, control, and balance, and building overall postural strength and endurance. The results usually include greater coordination, respiratory control, and attention skills. Furthermore, many patients enjoy additional emotional and psychological benefits, including reduction in anxiety, depression, increase in empowerment and confidence. Perhaps the best benefit is that the students really enjoy the therapy and do not realize the hard work involved! 

Tara's Chance is tasked with a growing waiting list of (52) special needs children and is dedicated to offering equine assisted activities to all who wish to use its services. Tara’s Chance waitlist has grown 100% organically through word-of-mouth testaments of our program to other families in the special needs community. Committed to sustainability and expansion, Tara’s Chance will continue its fundraising efforts to support the growing need in our community.

Children from all over Orange County and beyond come to Tara’s Chance for therapeutic riding. Tara’s Chance is the only equine therapy center located in North Orange County. North Orange County is a dry zone for equine therapy centers because the high cost of our program. The care, feed, and personnel it takes to perform each therapy session are much higher than a family with special needs can afford. Therefore, to provide affordable and accessible equine therapy we must fundraise 80% of our annual budget. The larger investment we receive from our community the more riders we can serve. Investment allows us to care for our horses, pay our staff, purchase equipment, and expand by acquiring more horses.

Tara's Chance is located in the North Orange County city of Fullerton. Fullerton has a long positive history with its equine community. With over twenty-eight miles of trails it, along with its neighbor Yorba Linda, have a strong horse community. Tara’s Chance will be offering unique and proven positive equestrian programming in Orange County, South Los Angeles and San Bernadino counties.
 

While attending Mater Dei High School, I volunteered at St. Joseph’s church in Placentia working with children with special needs while their parents attended mass. I discovered my passion for working with children with special needs, volunteering, and serving others. After graduating from Mater Dei, I wanted to serve others on a large scale. I decided to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard to serve others as part of an amazing team. I first served on a 210-foot cutter in the Caribbean Sea, seizing drugs and saving immigrants. Following my tour on the ship, I went to helicopter rescue swimmer training in Elizabeth City North Carolina. This specialized training program graduates 5% of Coasties who attempt it. I gave the program my all twice but failed on one of the final physical tests twice. I woke up every day during training, knowing how grueling the day would be, and determined to succeed. I was driven by my desire to be a last line of life for many in peril. After training, I went to New Orleans to serve the Coast Guards 8th District facilities as an engineer. I met my wife while serving in the Coast Guard and when I separated from the service, I moved to Michigan because that is where she was stationed. I attended the University of Michigan and studied business and economics. When I graduated, I was unsure of what my next step in life would be. But I had the same guiding principles of wanting to serve others and be part of something larger than myself. When the opportunity came to serve as the CEO of Tara’s Chance, a therapeutic riding center for children with special needs, I knew I had found my joy.

Each day, we make decisions from the minute we wake up,
some of which affect us individually and some which affect
many. In 2012, an anxious mom decided that she would not
stop until she found an equine therapy center that would
accept the challenges her young daughter faced. After meeting
this mom and her daughter, Cindy and Tim Howells made a
decision to resolve this mom’s anguish, and co-founded Tara’s
Chance. These two brave decisions spearheaded the success of
a nonprofit, which still maintains the promise to promote the
physical, cognitive and social well-being of those with special
needs. To learn about that little girl and how her equine therapy
has made a difference in her and her mother's life visit
https://youtu.be/jSO-mWh0klQ