littlebits.ca

What is Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association?

Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association is a non-profit, charitable organization based in Edmonton, Alberta, that provides recreational horseback riding with therapeutic benefits for children and adults with disabilities. Riders take part in weekly sessions led by certified, experienced instructors and supported by a core group of volunteers, with an emphasis on skill development, enjoyment and the specific therapeutic value of time on horseback.

Who it serves

The association runs programs grouped by age, including Itty Bits for pre-school-aged children, Little Bits for children roughly five and a half to eighteen, and Big Bits for adults. Its stated mission is to ensure people with physical, cognitive or emotional challenges across the Capital Region can access therapeutic riding. According to the page, up to 195 riders benefit each year across winter, spring and fall sessions plus a summer riding week.

Practical starting point

If you are considering it for a family member or yourself, the most useful first step is to contact the volunteer and program team at [email protected] or 780-476-1233 to ask about eligibility, session availability and what a first lesson involves. The site also lists a fall session schedule with specific days and times, plus a volunteer training day, which gives a realistic sense of the weekly commitment. For a broader view of the organization, its own site is Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association, and donations are directed through CanadaHelps.

Who is eligible to participate in Little Bits therapeutic riding programs?

Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association serves people with physical, cognitive or emotional challenges in the Edmonton, Alberta area. Its page_evidence describes programs for three age groups, so eligibility is defined mainly by age band and by having a disability-related need rather than by riding experience:

• Itty Bits — pre-school aged children
• Little Bits — children aged five and a half to eighteen
• Big Bits — adults

Riders take part once a week in winter, spring and fall sessions, plus a summer riding week, with instruction from certified and experienced instructors and support from volunteers. The organisation says up to 195 riders benefit each year, which suggests demand can exceed available places, so applying early matters.

Practical next step

If you are considering it for yourself or a family member, contact the organisation before the session you want. Ask three things: whether the rider's age and needs fit the relevant program, what documentation or medical information is required, and how the waitlist works. The page lists a volunteer contact ([email protected]) and a phone number, but for rider applications you should ask specifically about the rider intake process rather than the volunteer route.

A useful decision criterion: therapeutic riding suits people who can safely participate with instructor and volunteer support and who will benefit from skill development, enjoyment and the movement of the horse. If a rider has complex medical or behavioural needs, ask directly whether the program can accommodate them, since the page does not spell out exclusion criteria.

How can I volunteer with Little Bits and what training is provided?

Volunteering with Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association in Edmonton, Alberta, starts with an email or phone call. The organization asks prospective volunteers to contact Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association at [email protected] or 780-476-1233 (limited hours), and it schedules a Volunteer Training Day before the riding session begins — the page lists one on 3 September. Training is tied to the session calendar rather than offered on a drop-in basis, so timing your inquiry matters.

What the role involves

Volunteers support certified instructors during weekly riding lessons for riders in three program groups: Itty Bits (pre-school), Little Bits (ages five and a half to eighteen) and Big Bits (adults). The page describes the focus as skill development, enjoyment and the therapeutic aspects of horseback riding, and notes the organization serves up to 195 riders a year across winter, spring and fall sessions plus a summer riding week. In practice, that means volunteers are present for lessons on a fixed weekly schedule, not for occasional one-off visits.

Session times to plan around

The posted fall schedule shows the commitment pattern clearly:

These are broad windows covering multiple lesson blocks, so a volunteer typically commits to a specific slot within them rather than the whole day. Note that several dates are excluded, so the schedule is not continuous week to week.

A practical next step

Email [email protected] with your availability, your preferred day and time window, and whether you can attend the training day. If you are weighing this against other organizations, the useful comparison is the training requirement and the weekly time commitment — a program with a set training day and a fixed session calendar suits people who can plan weeks ahead, while someone with an unpredictable schedule may find that harder to sustain. Little Bits is a non-profit charity, so the role is unpaid; the return is direct contact with riders and instructors in a structured therapeutic setting.

What are the dates and times for the fall riding session?

The fall riding session runs from mid-September to late November, with weekly rides scheduled by day and time. According to the association's own schedule, the 2026 Fall Riding Session is:

Volunteer Training Day is 3 September.

These are the operating windows for the session, not individual rider lesson times; riders are typically assigned one weekly slot within them. If you are enquiring as a prospective rider or parent, the practical next step is to ask which day and time still has space for your rider's age group, since Little Bits separates programs into Itty Bits (pre-school), Little Bits (ages five and a half to eighteen) and Big Bits (adults), and each runs within the same weekly schedule.

For scheduling questions, contact the volunteer coordinator at [email protected] or 780-476-1233 (limited hours), and note that the association's own guidance is to email first for volunteer enquiries. The site also links to its newsletter and social channels for updates, which is where any changes to session dates would appear.

For comparison, other therapeutic riding organisations publish their session calendars in similar term-based blocks, so if you are weighing options in the Edmonton area, check each organisation's current term dates directly rather than relying on a general directory listing.

How do I donate to Little Bits through Canada Helps?

To donate to Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association through CanadaHelps, start at the charity's own website, Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association, and follow its donation link to the CanadaHelps page set up for the organization. CanadaHelps is a Canadian online donation platform that processes gifts to registered charities, so you give through CanadaHelps while the donation is designated for Little Bits.

What to expect

• You search for or arrive at the Little Bits listing on CanadaHelps, enter your amount, and complete payment by credit card or another method CanadaHelps accepts.
• CanadaHelps issues the official tax receipt, usually by email, so use an address you check regularly.
• You can typically choose a one-time or monthly gift; monthly giving suits a riding program that runs seasonal sessions and needs predictable support.
• If you want your gift directed to a particular purpose, look for a message or designation field and note it; otherwise it supports the charity's general work.

Practical example

A rider's family member in Edmonton wants to give $50 in memory of a volunteer. They open the Little Bits site, click the CanadaHelps donation link, select a one-time gift, add a short note such as "in memory of," and pay by card. The receipt arrives by email from CanadaHelps, and the family can forward it for their records.

If you prefer not to donate online, contact the organization directly — its volunteer contact email is [email protected] and phone 780-476-1233 (limited hours) — and ask about other ways to give. You can also check whether your employer matches charitable donations, which can increase the impact of the same gift.

Where can I purchase Little Bits apparel?

Little Bits apparel is sold through the association's own online shop. The site directs visitors to an external storefront hosted on Entripy, where you can browse and order branded items.

What to expect

• Official source: The link on Little Bits Therapeutic Riding Association points to its Entripy-hosted apparel shop, so this is the organization's own merchandise rather than a third-party reseller.
• Typical items: Riding organizations usually offer t-shirts, hoodies, hats and similar casual wear. Exact styles, colours and sizes are shown on the shop page itself.
• Why it matters: Proceeds from apparel generally support the riding programs, so buying there doubles as a way to help fund lessons and equipment.

Practical next step

Open the apparel link from the Little Bits website, check the size chart before ordering, and confirm shipping options and timelines for your location. If you are buying as a gift, note that custom-printed items often take longer to arrive than standard stock.

For questions about orders or merchandise, the association's general contact details are listed on its site; the volunteer contact email and phone number shown there are intended for volunteer enquiries, not shop support.