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Therapeutic Riding of Tucson Inc

EIN 86-0329294 · Tucson, AZ

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood75 out of 100GovernanceWeak46 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Empowering individuals with diverse abilities to reach their full potential through equine-assisted services since 1974.

Income
$872,738
Spending
$1.0 million
Spent on programs
77%
Reserves
17.8 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 51%
Employees
22
Volunteers
220
Highest pay
$67,000, executive dir.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 75 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 17.8 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 11% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 24% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    77% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 29 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Weak: 46 out of 100. Higher than 20% of charities in its peer group (recreation and sports, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    17 of 17 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    0 of 10

    Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (6)
  1. $188,843 spent. Equine Assisted Counseling (EAC)EAC is an experiential form of counseling that includes horses to achieve personal and emotional growth. All EAC sessions are facilitated by a licensed mental health professional who works with an individual to address their personal goals. These goals are set forth by the client and the mental health professional. TROT offers special groups for women, teens, veterans and first responders.
  2. $143,085 spent. Heroes And HorsesHeroes on Horses is specifically designed to address the needs of veterans and first responders of all abilities in our community. Our vision is to help them achieve both physical and emotional goals and improve their quality of life through the use of equine-assisted activities and therapies. Equine-assisted learning, adaptive riding, and equine-assisted counseling has been successful in helping veterans and first responders show improvements in emotional awareness, stress tolerance, independence, TBI, post-traumatic stress, impulse control and much more.
  3. $116,396 spent. Equine-Assisted LearningEquine-assisted learning (EAL) is an experiential learning approach that promotes the development of life skills for educational, professional and personal goals through equine-assisted activities. Working with equines provides opportunities to teach critical life skills such as trust, respect, honesty and communication. Various format offerings are available for organizations and school groups. Please contact our office for more information about these opportunities.
  4. $112,836 spent. Adaptive RidingThroughout the world, there are thousands of individuals with special needs who experience the rewarding benefits of horseback riding. A disability does not have to prevent a person from riding horses. In fact, experiencing the motion of a horse can be very therapeutic, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Because horseback riding rhythmically moves the participants body in a manner similar to a human gait, participants with physical challenges often show improvement in flexibility, balance, and muscle strength. As the participants work on riding skill based goals through different tasks and activities, they can experience emotional benefits, including reduced feelings of depression and anxiety, increased self-esteem, enhanced focus, improved social skills, and a sense of control and connection.
  5. $106,484 spent. BITS - Back In The SaddleBITS is made for individuals who:-have past involvement with horses-may have suffered an equine related injury-want to overcome any equine related trauma -had an experience that hinders their relationship with horses -have previous equestrian experience but have not been on a horse for a long time and want to get back in the saddle in a safe and supportive environment BITS participants report experiencing:-physical benefits-emotional benefits-decreased anxiety-improved confidence-increased riding skills knowledge
  6. $104,584 spent. Riders Up!Riders Up! is for men and women age 55 and over with age-related challenges. It is designed to enhance flexibility, endurance and strength for those experiencing reduced mobility because of injury, arthritis, or low muscle tone. Our Riders Up! program exercises both mind and body through structured lessons for riders of different levels.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since June 1977.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.