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Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center purchases Simpatico Stables!

An extraordinary stride forward for Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center

Sometimes the most amazing opportunities are right in your own backyard, or pasture in our case. After an exhaustive, two-year search, Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center has found the perfect new home just five minutes from our current Woodinville facility. Rebecca Chatfield, owner of Simpatico Stables, LLC, sold her 17-acre Redmond horse property to Little Bit on January 25, 2008, marking an extraordinary stride forward for our current 230 riders and those 200+ riders on our wait list. This historic step brings us closer to our goal of expanded services that uphold our tradition of safe, effective and high quality lessons and treatments.

How much will this cost?

Through the leadership efforts of Little Bit's Board of Directors, we realized that only through expansion would we be able to address our immense waiting list and overcrowding at our current site. Therefore, we embarked on the quiet phase of a capital campaign as we searched for property. During this initial phase, the Extraordinary Strides • Transforming Lives capital campaign has secured $4.7 million in cash and pledges of an anticipated $11 million dollar fundraising effort. The location offers tremendous convenience for our riders and volunteers and overall cost savings due to existing buildings and arenas. Many generous lead gifts provided the seed money for this purchase including one from Mike and Phyllis Dunmire. Mike observes that the purchase of this particular property will, "ensure a savings of 35% over other development options explored by Little Bit.

What's the property like?

It is as if Simpatico Stables, LLC, located at 106th Street and Avondale Road, was designed with therapeutic riding in mind. Situated on picturesque Bear Creek, the property is expansive, a quiet place for horses and humans, with many of the attributes of our ultimate wish list already on site:

• a 43-stall barn that doubles our current capacity
• two arenas; one covered and one outdoor
• a round pen
• individual turnout for each horse and three grass pastures
• a quarter-mile sand racetrack with grass infield
• a club house and a family home that can be converted for our use
• enough acreage to create our own sensory trail on the site
• easy access to trails and Farrel-McWhirter Park
• natural wetlands that provide shelter for diverse wildlife
• a facility that Rebecca has operated under best practices for farm management, creating move-in condition for Little Bit

Transition Plan and Timeline

Our timeline is designed to respect the rights of those families currently boarding at Simpatico Stables, LLC and provide all our riders with a gentle transition to our new home. With 17 acres, there is ample room to grow, but we intend to pace ourselves.

In the next 18 months, Little Bit will design and prepare to construct the following facilities:

• an additional covered arena
• multiple therapy rooms
• a classroom
• administrative offices for staff and volunteers

During 2008 and 2009 there will be a gradual evolution in the use of the new facility. Little Bit will be acquiring 8 horses and moving them into the new barn July 1, 2008 and may begin holding a limited number of classes in the arena. By 2010, our dream center will be complete and by 2012, we will be running at full capacity.

The Board of Directors and staff have developed operating budgets through 2012 that ensure the viability of the center through construction and those exciting first years.

Our Goals for expansion and quality of service

One of the biggest challenges of the past few years has been our struggle to maintain the small class sizes that our families deserve and expect from us while our wait list has exploded. Simpatico is the perfect solution:

• we will provide an exceptional level of service where the average sport riding class size is three riders
• new riders, who've been very patiently waiting their turn, will receive treatments and instruction
• we will continue to do what we do best - classes and therapy - in a NAHRA Premiere Accredited facility offered by licensed, certified professionals
• while we have no plans to expand our current offerings or to offer classes for people who are not living with a disability there is room to imagine

What will happen to our current facility? Will services be affected?

For the next few years, our Woodinville site, where we have been located since 1978, will be far from abandoned. We will be using our home as we always have; classes, schedules and ride times will remain the same. Things will still be snug for everyone, but we will continue to find innovative ways to lessen the impact on riders, therapy clients and volunteers. The Pat Flynn and Margo Memorial Horse Shows will be held each year at our current site until the new facility is ready.

Rider fees at Little Bit will not be increased by the new construction. Any escalation of fees would be the result of operating expenses at our current site, such as the care and feeding of our horses.

As we move, our Program Director and staff Therapists will discuss the best scenarios for transitioning riders and therapy clients to our new home. They will collaborate with families to find the plan that is most beneficial-and least disruptive-to our riders so that this new adventure carries only joy and wonder.

And though we know this goes without saying, Little Bit is not leaving our horses behind. We will transition the therapy herd when the time is right. The new facility will also house prospective therapy horses that are in training to join the program. With individual turnouts and ample opportunities for grazing, we believe our horses will be very content.

Research and Training

Ideally, after the transition, Little Bit will retain our current facility as a center for research and training, furthering the work of therapeutic riding professionals and researchers around the world. In this case, sport riding and Hippotherapy will take place at the new Redmond location. The Board of Directors will determine the feasibility of operating two facilities before proceeding.

The Capital Campaign

Three years ago, the Board of Directors hired the Alford Group to evaluate Little Bit's ability to raise money for an expansion into a new home. The study demonstrated that the need was great and that Little Bit, well respected and fiscally fit, was poised to raise the $11 million necessary for a successful future.

Although several generous donors provided leadership gifts to allow us to embark on this journey, we plan to appeal to the entire Little Bit community when we are further along in the design and planning process. As the Extraordinary Strides • Transforming Lives campaign builds momentum, we will keep you updated.

We have a long way to go, but as our riders know, we will take it one stride at a time.

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