Equestrian club to hold horse show at Du Quoin State Fairgrounds Sept. 15-16 | Community Spirit

MURPHYSBORO, IL (KFVS) - An equestrian club based in Murphysboro will be holding a horse show on September 15 and 16 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds Horse Pavilion.

For the past year, Little Egypt Dressage Association has been busy raising money for "Equine Services for Heroes," a program that helps military veterans through services provided by a Premier Accredited Center of PATH International, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, in Lexington, Ky.

Organizers say there is no fee for spectators to watch the show.

PATH International provides leadership and guidance for equine assisted activities and therapies. To accomplish this mission, PATH Intl. centers are connected with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers and Clinics as well as individual veterans. Veterans of any age can benefit from the program by getting involved with horses.

CKRH is a non-profit organization located at the Kentucky Horse Park that uses equine therapy to help physically and/or mentally disabled children or adults. Equine assisted activities and therapies offered at CKRH include: therapeutic horsemanship (ground work with horses); therapeutic riding; psycho-educational; psychotherapy; and therapeutic carriage driving.

Denise Spittler, CKRH Program Director said:

“Our focus is to develop programs that help veterans transition back into the community, family and work-place. We also focus on helping the family during this transition. Simply said, we help veterans just get back to living.”

In 2011, Little Egypt Dressage raised $2,000 for Horses for Heroes, and was listed at the *Patron level* in the spring edition of "Hoof Notes," the newsletter of CKRH. This year LEDA’s goal is to raise $4,000 for the program, and has already raised $2,800 towards this amount.

For more information on the club and their fundraising efforts, please go to the club’s webpage at www.LEDADressage.com. You can also e-mail info@LEDADressage.com

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