Like a horse in the last furlongs of its race, Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center is coming closer and closer to the finish line.
In the past year, Raemelton has taken steps to secure its facility and restore the beauty of the historic Frank Black Estate. Now, they are asking for the community’s help with an Open House and the kickoff of their capital campaign.
“This is a community program supported by the community,” said founder Tammie Schluter. “We want everyone to come stroll our facilities firsthand, and see the obstacles in front of us and what we’re trying to accomplish.”
On Saturday, April 30, Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center will host an Open House from 1 to 4 p.m. featuring hay rides, music, tours and food available for purchase. The free event will also feature a demonstration at 2 p.m. performed by the Raemelton Equestrian Team.
It’s a unique opportunity to peek behind the scenes of a Richland County hidden gem, a historical site dating back to the early 1900s when Mansfield was an industrial, booming town. Raemelton’s location at South Trimble Road was formerly the private facility of Frank Black, the founder of Ohio Brass.
“It’s a one-of-a-kind facility we’re housing the program in,” Schluter said. “But it wasn’t built for a therapeutic center, it was built as a polo facility.”
This past December, Raemelton finalized the purchase of the historical Estate where they’ve operated since 1995. The purchase was completed with the help of donations from John and Peter Black through the Robert and Esther Black Family Foundation, as well as an anonymous gift in memory of John Taylor.
Owning this estate allows Raemelton to make necessary improvements for better accessibility. They plan to accomplish this with the kickoff of their capital campaign, “Beyond Dreams…Within Reach.” The total goal of the campaign is to raise $750,000, to be completed in two phases.
Phase one, “Restore and Repair,” will tackle logistical tasks like updating the sewer system, driveway repair and resurfacing, replace windows and painting of the two historical buildings, and construct new pastures.
Phase two, “Accessibility and Function,” will increase the function of their offices with an ADA accessible entrance, construct a 12-stall barn to replace the existing stalls in the polo barn in disrepair, construct an ADA accessible grooming area, renovate and repurpose the polo barn storage areas, and construct a small enclosed arena for expansion of ground programs.
“Since we didn’t own the estate, our hands were tied in the past. With our recent ownership, we can now improve the facility to better serve our students and riders,” Schluter said. “It’s going to enhance the functionality and improve everything from our horses’ wellbeing, to our students’ accessibility, to our staff’s efficiency.”
Raemelton is a 501c3 non-profit organization. It relies heavily on grants, individual and corporate donations, and fundraising efforts to provide Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies to individuals with disabilities in north central Ohio, regardless of the ability to pay for services.
That’s why the involvement of the community is so important to help Raemelton complete the necessary renovations.
“We want people to come see the facility,” Schluter said. “We’re trying to restore and preserve the history as well as secure our permanent home for the therapeutic riding program.”
