Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association

What Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association does

Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association (VTRA) is a Canadian non-profit charitable organization founded in 1982 and headquartered in Saanichton, British Columbia, that delivers equine-assisted therapeutic programs to children and adults with diverse abilities throughout the Greater Victoria area. Its core service offering comprises three certified program tracks — Adaptive/Therapeutic Riding, Adaptive Horsemanship, and Adaptive Cart Driving — delivered through mounted and unmounted lessons that leverage horses as a recognized therapeutic aid, supported by a dedicated herd of 12 therapy horses and methodologies including Sharon Wilsie's Horse Speak communication framework. The organization supplements year-round term-based programming (typically 6–10 week terms at $43 per lesson or $258–$430 per term) with seasonal Kids' and Teen' Summer Camps, an Adults' Workshop, and a Used Tack Store.

VTRA operates with a lean professional staff of six and a volunteer base exceeding 275 individuals, achieving a 1:46 staff-to-volunteer ratio that enables weekly programming for more than 200 participants. Revenue is generated through a blended non-profit model combining program fees, individual and corporate donations (CIBC, CFAX Santas Anonymous, Hazel's Ice Cream), federal grants including the Government of Canada's Community Services Recovery Fund, and tack-store retail income. Programs operate on an academic-year cadence from September to June, and the organization maintains a waitlist signaling demand exceeds current capacity. Governance rests with a volunteer Board of Directors whose composition spans healthcare, law, finance, human resources, and non-profit leadership, and VTRA holds memberships with CanTRA, PATH Intl, the B.C. Therapeutic Riding Association, Horse Council of British Columbia, Volunteer Victoria, and One Ability.

Name

Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association

Legal name

Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association

Website

https://vtra.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association is a Canadian non-profit founded in 1982 in Saanichton, BC that delivers certified equine-assisted therapeutic riding, horsemanship, and cart driving programs to more than 200 children and adults with diverse abilities across the Greater Victoria region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Therapeutic Riding Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Adaptive & Special Needs Personal Training (HSADAAAL)

Keywords

• Therapeutic riding services
• Adaptive horsemanship programs
• Equine-assisted therapy
• Adaptive cart driving
• Equestrian therapy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Saanichton

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: Fees for therapeutic riding, adaptive horsemanship, and cart driving lessons. Participants pay per term (6-10 weeks) at $43/lesson for 45-minute group lessons or 30-minute semi-private lessons. Summer camps also generate revenue at varying rates.
2. Tack Store Sales: Used tack shop selling horse equipment, rider attire, and barn supplies. Products range from $5 to $300. Accepts donations of quality used items.
3. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations. Accepts e-transfers, cheques, and share donations. Tax receipts provided for donations of $50 and up.
4. Government Funding: Funded by Government of Canada's Community Services Recovery Fund. Additional funding support from community donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VTRA provides equine-assisted therapeutic programs for children and adults with diverse abilities in Greater Victoria. Core offerings include Adaptive/Therapeutic Riding (mounted lessons), Adaptive Horsemanship (unmounted barn programs teaching horse care and safety), and Adaptive Cart Driving lessons, supplemented by seasonal Kids and Teen Summer Camps and an Adults' Workshop. The organization also runs a Used Tack Store selling donated equestrian equipment.

Product overview

Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association offers a suite of equine-assisted services centered around therapeutic riding, driving, and horsemanship programs. The core offerings include Adaptive/Therapeutic Riding (mounted lessons), Adaptive Horsemanship (unmounted barn programs), and Adaptive Cart Driving. Additional programming includes Kids and Teen Summer Camps and an Adults' Workshop. The organization also operates a Used Tack Store selling donated equestrian equipment. All programs serve children and adults with diverse abilities throughout the Greater Victoria area, with sessions running September through June in four academic terms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Adaptive/Therapeutic Riding A mounted riding program for individuals with diverse abilities emphasizing development of riding skills, client-centered goals, and social interaction. Lessons include Physical Movement and Mobility, Recreational and Social Connections, and Progressive Riding Skills, delivered as 45-minute group or 30-minute semi-private sessions per term at $43/lesson.
• Adaptive Horsemanship An unmounted program teaching horse care, horsemanship, and safety in a barn setting. Includes skills from gaining confidence around horses to grooming and tack maintenance. 45-minute group lessons priced at $43/lesson and organized in 6-10 week terms.
• Adaptive Cart Driving A program designed to teach horse-drawn cart-driving skills to individuals with diverse abilities, with lessons tailored to individual goals.
• Kids Summer Camp Half-day camp for ages 6-12 running from 9am to 12:30pm at $394.00. Sessions available during Spring Break (March) and Summer (July and August).
• Teen Summer Camp Full-day camp for ages 13+ running from 9am to 4pm at $683.00. Sessions available during Spring Break (March) and Summer (July and August).
• Adults' Workshop Half-day workshop for adults ages 18+ held June 23rd to 25th at $236.40. Three-day workshop format.
• VTRA Used Tack Store Used tack shop selling items for horses, riders, and barn, including saddles, bridles, boots, blankets, and other equestrian equipment. Prices range from $5 to $300. Operates seasonally with summer closure and special blanket sales. Accepts donations of quality used items.

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves more than 200 children and adults with diverse abilities
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• B.C. Therapeutic Riding AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial membership organization for therapeutic riding. VTRA is a proud member along with Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association.
• Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational therapeutic riding association providing certification standards. Requires participants to present completed medical history and physician consult forms.
• PATH Intl (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational certification body for therapeutic horsemanship. Instructors are certified through PATH Intl standards.
• Horse Council of British ColumbiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvincial horse council supporting equestrian organizations. Logo displayed as supporter of VTRA.
• Volunteer VictoriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal organization supporting volunteerism in Greater Victoria area. VTRA is a member.
• One AbilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisability-focused organization in Victoria. VTRA listed as member.
• Hazel's Ice CreamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFamily-owned ice cream business in Victoria, BC. Donated ice cream treats for VTRA Picnic with the Herd community event.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding & Educational Center: Illinois-based large-scale PATH Intl Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center. Comparable equine-assisted therapy programs but operates at materially larger scale and broader program scope than VTRA.
• PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International): US-based international certifying body for therapeutic horsemanship, of which VTRA instructors are members. Comparable as the broader industry association governing standards, training, and accreditation for centers like VTRA.
• Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA): UK-headquartered international federation of therapeutic riding centers with thousands of member groups worldwide. Comparable as the largest umbrella organization for equine-assisted therapy, but operates at vastly greater scale and as a federation rather than single-site operator.

Direct peers

• Cheff Therapeutic Riding Center: Michigan-based PATH Intl Premier Accredited therapeutic riding center serving children and adults with disabilities. Directly comparable therapeutic riding non-profit with similar adaptive riding, horsemanship, and driving programs.
• High Horses Therapeutic Riding Program: Vermont-based PATH Intl accredited therapeutic riding non-profit serving children and adults with special needs. Comparable adaptive riding and horsemanship programming for special-needs participants in a small-staff, volunteer-driven model.
• Cochrane Therapeutic Riding Association: Alberta-based CanTRA-accredited therapeutic riding center offering adaptive riding programs for children and adults with special needs. Comparable small-staff, volunteer-supported Canadian therapeutic riding non-profit.
• Pacific Riding for Developing Abilities (PRDA): Langley, BC-based non-profit offering therapeutic riding, driving, and hippotherapy to individuals with disabilities. Directly comparable as a Canadian CanTRA/PATH-affiliated therapeutic riding center serving a similar BC participant base.
• Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association: Alberta-based non-profit providing equine-assisted therapy to children and adults with disabilities. Directly comparable therapeutic riding non-profit operating with similar volunteer-driven model and CanTRA standards.
• Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre: Ontario-based therapeutic riding center providing equine-assisted activities for individuals with disabilities. Directly comparable Canadian therapeutic riding non-profit with similar program structure and certifications.

Others

• Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association (CanTRA): National Canadian association providing certification and standards for therapeutic riding centers including VTRA. Not a direct competitor but the governing body whose standards define the operating model VTRA follows.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/victoria-therapeutic-riding-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association