The History of TREC: Part 1 – TREC Begins

On November 10, 1980, the first meeting “to explore the possibility of initiating a Therapeutic Riding Program for the Handicapped in Erie County” was held. The letter, announcing the meeting was sent from the extension office inviting ‘anyone and everyone who is interested in the possibility of providing the county’s handicapped with a therapeutic riding program.” Organizers included Carolyn L. Belczyk, Extension Agent 4-H/Youth, Kim Roeback, Leader, Pennwood Riders 4-H Club and Darlene Kindle, Director, United Cerebral Palsy. The meeting was well attended, and the rest, as they say is history! The fledgling organization selected its name, Therapeutic Riding of Erie County for the Handicapped, or TREC, at a meeting held Jan. 27, 1981, and the group’s first by-laws were approved on Feb. 24, 1981. The first board members included Jim Barabas, Physical Therapist at St. Vincents, Kim Roeback, instructor at Spring Valley Stables, Pam Kristenson, Dr. Gertrude Barber Center (Pam designed the TREC logo we still use today), Nancy Morgan, United Cerebral Palsy and Carolyn Belczyk, Erie County Cooperative Extension. The new board wanted to get folks on horseback as soon as possible, and our therapeutic program got underway in the summer of 1981. In the first year of operation, we served a total of 21 clients. Our program looked very different then. We operated out of three different stables: Hobby Horse Farm (the Herholds were involved with TREC from the very beginning), Ferghana Farms in Franklin Township (own and operated by Liz Chilcott) and R County Stables (managed at the time by Kim Roeback, this facility is now Shadow Facs Farm). “Especially Significant Accomplishments” in 1982, our second season, included the following:  TREC received full accreditation as a riding program for the handicapped from the North American Riding for the Handicapped association  Kim Roeback, TREC instructor, completed a four-week instructor’s training program at the Cheff Center in Michigan, and Ray Herhold, another TREC instructor, received a scholarship to attend a similar training program in early 1983.  TREC received a donation of two Lipizzan mares from the Pennsylvania Friends of 4-H and Temple Farms, Illinois  TREC served a total of 39 different clients at three different facilities. So, when did TREC move to a single facility? Who have been the key players in developing TREC into the organization we know today? Watch for Part II of the “History of TREC” in a future newsletter!

Carolyn L. Belczyk, TREC President 1981-82

Written for TREC Newsletter June 1999