Horse Illustrated Magazine

July 4 is an opportunity to show your patriotism toward a very important cause: promoting reading and literacy among children and taking in some equestrian activity along the way. Riding For Reading, a non-profit organization 501(c)(3) dedicated to furthering reading, literacy and education through equestrian sports and activities, will be sponsoring a Riding For Reading Class at three different shows this summer, with the first kicking off on Independence Day.

The Riding For Reading Class at the Golden Gate Classic, July 4, in Woodside, Calif., starts off the summer campaign. “I believe that reading is the most important aspect of a child’s education,” says show manager Chris Collman. “After all, it is the first word of an old saying, ‘Reading, Writing and Arithmetic!’ Any opportunity to further reading and literacy is a worthy cause, and we are thrilled to be able to host a Riding For Reading Class at the Golden Gate Classic.”

The Riding For Reading Class will also be held at the Country Classic horse show, July 11, in Wilsonville, Oregon. The on September 1, the Riding For Reading Benefit Horse Show takes place at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Langer Equestrian Group (LEG) manages the benefit show and donates all proceeds to Riding For Reading. “In the world today of instant communication, especially visual, literacy and books are in danger of becoming extinct. The least I can do is hold one of my horse shows as a benefit to a program designed to help keep the written word alive,” says LEG president and CEO Larry Langer.

The Riding For Reading Classes allow riders from first through twelfth grades to represent their schools and to win grant money for their school’s library. Schools get much needed library funds, and the kids get great prizes and the opportunity to do something for their school. More than 450,000 school age students have benefited from Riding For Reading library grants.

Proceeds from the Riding For Reading Benefit Horse Show are used to fund Riding For Reading’s literacy based programs, including the Riding For Reading Class.

For more information, visit www.ridingforreading.org.