OUR STORY
Heartland provides equine-assisted services and therapies. HTR offers adaptive riding lessons, ground horsemanship classes and occupational therapy utilizing hippotherapy. These activities and therapies provide physical, cognitive, and emotional growth through the movement of, and the emotional bond created with the horse.
We believe that horses can play an important role in helping individuals reach their full potential. Riding and interacting with horses is fun and creates an opportunity for participants to improve their physical, cognitive and emotional well-being. We foster an environment where participants are motivated to reach new levels of courage and confidence.
Our weekly riding lessons are conducted by PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructors. Hippotherapy sessions are conducted by an occupational therapist certified by the American Hippotherapy Association. We operate with the assistance of over 100 volunteers each week and 16 specially trained horses.
Highlights
- 78 beautiful acres in south Overland Park, Kansas
- Indoor riding arena with heaters and fans for year round comfort
- Large outdoor arena
- Groomed riding trails
- Sensory land bridges
- Hay barn and second indoor exercise arena
- Barn with 16 stalls, 7 tacking stalls, tack room and offices
- Indoor washracks with hot water
- 2 brome hay fields
- On-site horse and facility caretakers
- Over 15 acres of pastures with shelters for daily turn out
History
When doctors suggested swimming or horseback riding to Jean Baum after telling her that her then 9-month old daughter might not walk, Jean decided to investigate therapeutic riding. Her friend Marge Allen invited her to a lecture by Lida McGowan who founded the Cheff Center for therapeutic riding in Michigan. After hearing Lida speak, Jean was convinced that Kansas City needed a therapeutic riding program. However, no one in Jean’s circle of equine friends was willing to take on the project. They were unnerved by the prospect of having children with disabilities on their property, much less riding horses.
In 1981, Heartland purchased 27 acres at 133rd and Antioch, where the program grew under the leadership of Jean—and later Patti Kortkamp—who was asked by Jean to run things when Jean moved from Kansas to Virginia. Sandy Rose and Joni Roeseler, who are current members of Heartland’s Board of Directors, were both involved in the early years as volunteer coordinators.
In the mid-1990’s, real estate developers became interested in Heartland’s property. Eventually, the property was sold and Heartland moved further south to its current location at 19655 Antioch Road with 78 acres of land. The facility was specifically built for therapeutic riding and was formally dedicated in 1998.
Heartland is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center. Heartland was one of the first accredited therapeutic riding centers in the US. Today, there are more than 850 PATH Intl. accredited centers. Jean recently said, “Heartland has become ever so much more than I ever dreamed it would be.”
