[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 80 (Wednesday, May 8, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E463]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                RECOGNIZING HAPPY TRAILS RIDING ACADEMY

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                         HON. DAVID G. VALADAO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 8, 2024

  Mr. VALADAO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Happy Trails 
Riding Academy as they celebrate their 40-year anniversary. Established 
in 1983 by T.J. Barreiro, Happy Trails Riding Academy is dedicated to 
serving individuals with physical, cognitive, and emotional 
disabilities. For four decades, their devoted staff and volunteers have 
provided equine-assisted services to children, adults, and military 
veterans, offering a unique alternative to conventional therapies. 
Happy Trails Riding Academy is the only full accredited therapeutic 
riding center in the San Joaquin Valley. Participants from across the 
San Joaquin Valley, including those living with autism spectrum 
disorder, brain injuries, cerebral palsy, sight and hearing 
impairments, and posttraumatic stress disorder, have benefited 
immensely from Happy Trails' programs. Equine-assisted therapy provides 
numerous physical, psychological, and social benefits to riders. Happy 
Trails collaborates with several national and regional non-profit 
organizations, such as the Wounded Warrior Program, VA Direct Services, 
United Ways of Tulare and Kings Counties, Quail Park Memory Care Unit, 
Central Valley Regional Center, and Tulare County Health & Human 
Services. Through these partnerships, they provide a nurturing 
environment for individuals with disabilities to improve their overall 
well-being and gain independence.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the United States House of 
Representatives to join me in celebrating Happy Trails Riding Academy 
on their 40-year anniversary. Their unwavering commitment to supporting 
individuals with disabilities in the Central Valley will have a lasting 
impact for years to come.

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