The second annual Bridlepath Race Day Fundraiser will be held on Saturday, June 7, at Bridlepath Equine Center, 787 Valley Road, Quarryville.

Starting at 8:30 a.m., the 5K and 10K trail runs will take place in the wooded areas and open fields of the property and on the Enola Low Grade Trail. There will be gentle hills, and there could be some mud.

Awards will be presented to the top overall male and female finishers and the top three male and female finishers in nine age brackets.

A pet-friendly, 1-mile walk will begin at 10:15 a.m. It will be a leisurely stroll around the property. Dogs must be on a leash.

A kids' giddy-up run for ages 2 to 8 will start at 11 a.m. The youngsters will race through the riding area on a stick animal provided by Bridlepath, and the participants will be able to take home the stick animal.

There is a fee to take part in the events, which will be held rain or shine. Participants are encouraged to preregister by going to http://www.pretzelcitysports.com, clicking on the "Calendar/Apps/OnlineReg" tab, and scrolling down to June 7 events. Registration and number pickup will also take place at the equine center on Friday, June 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. and will reopen June 7 starting at 7:30 a.m. For more information, email race director Kris Kauffman at kriskauffman@gmail.com.

A chicken barbecue will begin at 10 a.m. and will run while supplies last.

Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is the platinum "presenting" sponsor. Gold sponsors are Denlinger Fisher Builders, Lemongrass & Honey Co., Narrow Gate Contracting, Stoltzfus Meats, Summers & Zim's.

Danielle Swope, the founder and director of the center, said she is also grateful for the event's silver and bronze sponsors.

All proceeds from the day will benefit the nonprofit Bridlepath Equine Center's therapeutic horsemanship program. Bridlepath currently has 30 participants in the program, and there is a wait list, which is estimated to be two years. "We need more horses and more instructors," said Swope.

Since Bridlepath is a therapeutic program and not a therapy program, the cost is not covered by insurance and must be paid out of pocket. The fundraiser allows Bridlepath to charge no more than 50% of the cost of a lesson.

"The reason we make it so low for cost is these families are paying for a lot of things out of pocket, not in the therapeutic horsemanship world, but in everyday life," Swope said. "So we don't want to be in the spot where we're not serving people solely because of funds. We want to provide - and they deserve - the best that we can give them."

Kris stated Bridlepath offers scholarships and financial aid. "We don't want to turn anybody away," she said. Anyone interested in sponsoring a participant or donating to the center's general fund can go to http://www.bridlepathequinecenter.org.

Swope, a native of Paradise, was studying behavioral science in college when she got an internship at a therapeutic program. "That's where I found my love for it," she said. Swope's family and Kris' family were close friends. When Kris and her husband, Lee, purchased the Quarryville property and named it Trailside Farm, they asked Swope if she would be interested in partnering with them.

Bridlepath opened its doors on Sept. 12, 2023.

Sessions typically last an hour, but there are 30-minute classes available if necessary. Approximately 15 minutes of the hour sessions are spent unmounted, where the students tack and brush the horse and build a relationship. Lessons are individualized based on the needs and the goals of the kids.

"We don't put a ceiling on a student just because they have a disability," said Swope. "Everybody learns differently. If a student wants to learn to jump or barrel race, we will build a foundation to do that. We don't treat or diagnose. We teach and facilitate for students with special needs, based around horsemanship. Swope added that the lessons provide physical, emotional, behavioral, and intellectual benefits.

Swope said 50 volunteers help make it all possible. "The Lord's hand has played a really big role in this, too," she said. "It's been cool seeing the community come together. While we're not a Christian-affiliated organization, we still show the love of Jesus through what we do."

That means treating everyone with kindness. "We serve all sorts of people from all types of backgrounds," Swope said. "That's what makes it fun. Everybody has something to bring to the table."

Bridlepath also partners with Penn State's Four Diamonds program to host a group program called Hoofbeat Haven, which is a support group for people who are undergoing cancer treatment or are in remission.

There are plans to launch Unbridled Courage for special needs families that have adopted children or have foster children.

"We are here to share horses," said Swope.