HealthMarket , Inc. Information

HealthMarkets is excited to provide student scholarships to the Rocky Top Therapy Center. Rocky Top is a working ranch and therapeutic riding center located in Keller, Texas, that provides comprehensive rehabilitation for physically, mentally or emotionally challenged individuals in the North Central Texas area. For more than 20 years, the mission of the Rocky Top Therapy Center has been "To provide services that will improve the quality of life for individuals who have disabilities or are disadvantaged, and to provide those services to all who may benefit regardless of their financial ability." The Center was founded in 1990 by Doug and Vivian Newton, who understood the physical and emotional benefits that therapeutic riding could offer their individuals with disabilities. In order to help them fulfill their mission, HealthMarkets provided the funding for four scholarships. Scholarships such as these are critical to the success of Rocky Top's mission since more than 80% of riders request financial assistance. Currently, Rocky Top Therapy Center addresses the needs of more than 250 mentally, physically and emotionally challenged individuals each week. To provide for their needs requires a staff of 16 employees that are specially certified instructors, degreed mental health professionals, licensed social workers/counselors and physical therapists as well as 200+ volunteers and upwards of 50 therapy horses. Rocky Top Therapy Center is one of less than 200 premier therapeutic riding centers accredited through the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA). They provide services to address physical, mental, cognitive, social or behavioral problems of individuals with disabilities. Therapeutic riding participants develop more refined horsemanship skills and many have even gone on to compete in Special Olympics and other competitions. In addition to the services provided to individuals with disabilities, Rocky Top also provides a Horses for Heroes program for veterans and their families who have suffered trauma and/or physical disabilities in the line of duty and need help to adjust physically and mentally to their post-war lives.