Halifax Lancers on the power and peace of connecting with horses
First established in 1936, the Halifax Lancers is Canada’s only urban non-profit riding school and equine therapy centre. The Lancers care for the 29 Horses of Halifax and are dedicated to making riding accessible to everyone in the region, serving a diverse community of nearly 200 riders of various ages and abilities.
Emily Jewer is the Volunteer Coordinator for the Halifax Lancers Therapeutic Riding Program and a facilitator in the Equine Supported Wellness Program. She is also passionate about promoting accessibility in the equestrian world. “For a lot of different reasons, people might think that working with horses wouldn’t be very accessible,” she says. “Lancers has taught me that many barriers to participation can be easily dismantled, be it through offering adaptive tack, extra physical support during a riding lesson, a calm environment to work in, or access to financial resources to cover the cost of participation.”
Programs with the Halifax Lancers
The Halifax Lancers Therapeutic Riding program provides supports to riders with disabilities. “Our riders come from a variety of backgrounds and support looks different for each of them,” says Jewer. “Some may need physical support during lessons to help with their balance, flexibility, or strength. Others may need cognitive supports such as reiterating instructions, helping with focus, or building confidence.”
Volunteers are an integral part of the Therapeutic Riding program. “Many of our riders will have two or more volunteers with them at all times during the lesson, and with four riders in every lesson, it takes a lot of people to keep our program running smoothly,” says Jewer.
The Equine Supported Wellness program consists of unmounted sessions that focus on how horses can improve mental health. “These sessions often take participants through a journey of learning to communicate with horses,” says Jewer. “Through these activities, participants are encouraged to identify how working with the horses makes them feel, as horses are very intuitive, and you can learn a lot about yourself during your interactions with them.”
Addressing financial and cultural barriers
Jewer notes that while accessibility is a top priority at Lancers, it can also create challenges to overcome. “Financial barriers are particularly difficult for riders with disabilities, so participants are given the option to participate at minimal cost,” says Jewer. “The actual cost of the Therapeutic Riding program is supported by other programs at Lancers; fundraising, grants, donations and sponsors.”
The Halifax Lancers have also been engaging in efforts to foster diversity and inclusion in their programs. “Like much of the equestrian community in Canada, we have struggled to be truly inclusive to members of BIPOC communities,” says Jewer. “In 2023, Halifax Lancers signed Recreation Nova Scotia’s Anti-Racism Charter, which addresses racism in recreational spaces and promotes inclusivity. We know the future of Lancers will be brightest when anyone can see themselves represented in our membership and we are committed to making that happen.”
Creating a safe space
For the Halifax Lancers, space can be a challenge when it comes to accessibility. “Our space limits how many lessons we can run each day,” says Jewer. “Demand for all programming at Lancers is high, so participants wait for a long time to get into the program—often several years. We are optimistic that we may have the opportunity to grow the program significantly in the future if the city is able to accommodate our requests in the new Halifax Commons Master Plan.”
While space may be a challenge, their location provides crucial benefits. “Our location plays a huge part in our accessibility,” says Jewer. “Many of our riders and participants wouldn’t be able to make the drive to a barn outside of the city.”
In addition to being accessible to riders and program participants, the urban location has become part of the city’s cultural fabric. “While we don’t have acres of fields and trails to ride on, our location means we have a special relationship with the larger community,” says Jewer. “We share our horses with the residents of Halifax every day. We have heard from many community members about how seeing the horses on their way to work or from a hospital room window is the highlight of their day.”
Stay tuned to the Halifax Lancers social media channels for information on their summer public programming. Learn more at:
