Victoria Therapeutic Riding Association

12/05/2025

✨Give today to transform lives tomorrow✨

Thanks to your incredible support on Giving Tuesday, we’ve already raised over $3,500 toward our $20,000 Annual Appeal goal!

Every dollar helps create transformation—the quiet shift from uncertainty to confidence, from limitation to possibility. At VTRA, these changes happen one ride at a time, and they happen because of YOU.

Your gift provides:
- Safe, personalized therapeutic riding sessions
- Care for our amazing horses
- Training for the volunteers who make this work possible

We’re just getting started. Help us reach $20,000 and keep transformation alive for our participants like Abby and Jan.

Visit www.vtra.ca/annual-appeal-2025 to watch Abby and Jan's stories. Your gift today transforms lives tomorrow.

12/02/2025

🌟 Today is Giving Tuesday! 🌟

Meet Abby and Jan—two of our participants whose journeys show what transformation truly means.
At VTRA, transformation isn’t just a word—it’s a lived experience.

For Abby, therapeutic riding opened a world of confidence and freedom her family never thought possible. Her mom, Jenn, shares in our Annual Appeal video how VTRA has changed Abby’s life in ways that go far beyond the arena.

"She's almost conquering it, if you could conquer Down Syndrome." - Jenn Muzyka 2025

And then there’s Jan. As one of our life-time participants, she speaks about what transformation means to her and how VTRA has helped her rediscover strength and independence.

"I'm doing things now that I wasn't able to do, so I think VTRA has transformed me in a totally different way." - Jan Mahoney, 2025

These stories are why we do what we do. And today, you can make more stories like theirs possible.

Watch our Annual Appeal video and make your Giving Tuesday gift now by going to https://youtu.be/yuHDLvAPYHE💙

Every dollar turns challenges into triumphs. Every gift creates hope.
Together, we can keep transformation alive—because every person deserves the chance to shine.

Give today to transform lives tomorrow.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

11/26/2025

[DTS SUPPORTERS HIGHLIGHT]

☕🍪 A Sweet Thank You to Our Treat & Coffee Donors!

We’re getting ready for Deck the Stalls, and we couldn’t do it without these amazing local businesses who are making the event extra delicious:

☕ Brentwood Bay Village Empourium – generously donating coffee to keep everyone warm and energized!
🦊 Fox & Monocle Café – delighting us with their fresh pastries and sweet creations.
🥐 Liv Café and Bistro – sharing their incredible baked treats and globally inspired flavors.
🍰 Ruth & Dean – bringing their famous cakes and decadent desserts.
🥖 Ottavio – adding artisanal breads and gourmet goodies to the mix.
🍩 Moka House – contributing their signature treats to make the day even more special.
🍦Mosi Bakery, Cafe & Gelatiria - adding their incredible treats to make our event even sweeter!

Your generosity is helping us create a festive experience for everyone. We can’t wait to share these treats and hot drink with our guests!

11/21/2025

🎉 Congratulations to all our amazing riders! 🎉

We’re thrilled to share the results of the BCTRA Video Competition. Our riders went head-to-head with other Therapeutic Riding Centers across BC and achieved incredible placements! 🏅

A huge thank you to BCTRA and the judges for organizing this fantastic competition that gives our riders the opportunity to shine and thrive. 💙

We are so proud of the hard work and progress each rider has made this year.
Check out the full results below 🔽

✨ Here’s to celebrating these achievements and looking forward to the 2026 Video Competition!

November 14, 2025 – Para-equestrians from across the province participated in BC Therapeutic Riding Association’s fifth annual video competition, and now the provincial organization is ready to reveal the results.

11/11/2025

A kind reminder that VTRA will be closed on Tuesday, November 11th, in observance of Remembrance Day. Let us take a moment to honor and remember those who served.

11/05/2025

[November’s Charity Sandwich at Red Barn Market is the Big Boy!]

All month long, when you order the Big Boy, 25¢ will be donated to VTRA to support our equine-assisted programs for individuals with diverse abilities.

A huge thank you to Red Barn Market for choosing VTRA as this month’s charity partner — your support helps make a real difference in our community! 💙

Craving something delicious? Swing by your local Red Barn Market and grab the delicious Big Boy Sandwich — it’s not just tasty, it’s making a difference!

11/03/2025

🌸 Remembering Lady – A Gentle Soul Who Touched Us All 🌸

This weekend, we said goodbye to our sweet Lady, who passed peacefully surrounded by her herd and those who loved her. Lady joined VTRA in 2024 and quickly became a cherished part of our community, introducing many to the joy of cart driving and offering quiet comfort to everyone who spent time with her.

Louise, our Cart Driving Instructor and Lady’s closest person, shared:
“Lady had a quiet strength and a willingness to give her all, no matter the task. She taught me the true meaning of patience, how to listen more deeply, and how to be gentle with myself and others. Her presence was a gift, and I will miss her deeply.”

💛 From Nov 10 to Dec 1, Lady’s stall will become a memory wall. You’re invited to stop by during program hours to leave a note, pin a photo or drawing, or share a memory. Her stall will also be part of our Deck the Stalls celebration, keeping her spirit close during the season.

She will be deeply missed, but never forgotten.

10/30/2025

🌟 Step by Step: A Participant's Journey at VTRA 🌟

For the final week of the term, Liz spiced things up with an exciting new challenge: an introduction to turning on the hind. This exercise had riders working hard — engaging their legs and hips to guide their horses into precise turns, while helping the horses stretch through their shoulders. Riders also focused on rotating their chest to face the direction of travel, building coordination and awareness throughout the body.

It was a demanding but rewarding ride, and Pippa had one of her best sessions yet — you can hear the joy and pride in her voice in this week’s video! Her clarity, independence, and kindness in leading Cherry continue to shine, and her progress over the term has been nothing short of inspiring.

💙 A heartfelt thank you to everyone who followed Pippa’s journey with us this term.
To our volunteers — your dedication makes our work possible and meaningful.
To our staff — thank you for creating a safe, educational, and welcoming space.
And to our horses — thank you for your patience, presence, and partnership as we all grow together.

Though this term has come to a close, the inspiration continues. 💫

10/22/2025

🎉 Special Saturday Opening! 🐴

The VTRA Tack Store will be exceptionally open this Saturday, October 25th from 10am to 12pm!

🛍️ Most items are just $5 — a perfect chance to grab great deals while directly supporting our Equine-Assisted Services. Every purchase helps make a difference in the lives of our participants and horses 💙

📍Come visit us and shop with purpose!