Horse Illustrated Magazine

The Online Riders Collective is proud to launch Clinics for a Cause to help mitigate the struggles equestrians are facing due to COVID-19. From not being able to ride to facing lost income, riders and equine business owners are experiencing unprecedented challenges.

Clinics for a Cause invites riders to submit video to the top trainer of their choice in any discipline for just $25. The proceeds go to benefit the Equestrian Aid Foundation’s (EAF) COVID-19 relief fund for equestrian business owners.

Riders can choose from world-class professionals, including Boyd and Silva Martin, Lauren Sprieser, Don Stewart, Sissy Wickes, Lendon Gray, Laura Kraut, Norman Dello Joio, Phillip Dutton, Jennie Brannigan, Louise Serio, Sandy Ferrell, Val Renihan, Jamie Bissell, and more.

Alice Bruno, Jess Clawson, and Sissy Wickes founded Clinics for a Cause in March 2020 and have already seen an enthusiastic response from the equestrian community. “This program has accelerated at a pace we could not have anticipated,” says Bruno. “We are thrilled to be part of the #HorsemenHelpingHorsemen mission of the Equestrian Aid Foundation.”

Sissy Wickes has been instrumental to the project from the beginning. “Our equestrian industry has a long history of stepping up to help those in need, says Wickes. “I am proud to say that Clinics for a Cause is another example of the generosity of spirit that pervades our community. I am honored to be a part of raising money for the EAF as they financially support our community.”

EAF, founded in 1996, provides emergency, lifesaving financial grants to horsemen and women coping with loss of income due to catastrophic injury or illness. EAF invests in the future of its recipients, giving them the resources to recover and thrive in the face of adversity.

Through its Disaster Relief Fund, EAF assists equestrian communities in the aftermath of natural disasters or other events unpreventable through reasonable cautionary measures. EAF has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by offering grants to equestrian professionals in unexpected financial crisis due to industry cancellations, closures, and shutdowns. For more information, please click here.

“This is a time when our community is coming together to find new ways to stay connected,” said EAF founder R. Scot Evans. “It’s a time to reflect, a time to learn, and most importantly, a time to support each other. We are so appreciative of the clinicians who have stepped forward to offer their years of knowledge and professional depth. They are turning this uncertain time into a period of growth.”

Professionals in any discipline who are interested in participating as trainers should send an email to onlineriderscollective@gmail.com to be added to the roster. Trainers will be promoted through ORC and EAF and will promote this important fundraising effort through their social media audiences.

Visit www.onlineriderscollective.com to sign up for a clinic. Follow the Online Riders Collective on Facebook and Instagram, and the EAF on Facebook and Instagram.

Complete COVID-19 Coverage