| History |
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Therapeutic riding programs for people with disabilities were first established in Western Europe in the early 1950s and in North America in the late 1960s. Doctors, therapists and researchers were so impressed with the physical results of this therapy that many hospitals in Western Europe now have adjoining facilities for hippotherapy - utilization of the horse in therapy. The extraordinary growth of the number of therapeutic riding programs in the United States alone (currently more than 800 programs) gives evidence of the value and demand for such programs. Little Bit has evolved from an organization operated entirely by volunteers to a highly professional program that is increasingly perceived as a model for other programs in its field. Little Bit was the first nationally accredited program (accredited by PATH) of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, is currently one of only three Premiere Accredited Centers in Washington State and is the largest, full-time therapeutic riding program in the Northwest. |