Although horses make great athletes, companion and competition animals, their value and use goes far beyond that. Horses can double in the capacity of a service animal for some. There are many equine centers that serve as therapeutic riding centers for individual with disabilities, and the Helping Horse Therapeutic Riding Program is not exception when it comes to therapeutic excellence.
At Helping Horse, we offer group-riding lessons for people with a variety of physical, mental and emotional special needs. Our focus is to provide a therapeutic experience for each individual rider by combining riding skills with games and activities to enhance their strength and balance, while having fun.
The majority of our lessons take place on horseback; occasionally we will have a ground lesson during which the riders will learn things about taking care of their horse, such as grooming and tacking.
In order to place a student, we must be able to match the rider to an appropriate horse, class, and instructor. To do this, we schedule an evaluation ride. We carefully consider all of this information to provide a safe ride for the student. Weight and height information help us determine which of our horses could carry the rider safely, as we have horses in varying sizes. The student’s ability to balance, to walk with or without assistance, and to communicate and receive instructions help us determine the number of volunteers needed to help the student safely ride.
Students enroll for the entire 30-week season which follows the traditional school calendar (September-May). Depending on available space, a new student can be accepted into the program at any time for the remainder of the season.
Students are assigned to a weekly class held on Saturday morning, Sunday afternoon or Monday or Tuesday evenings.
It’s never too late to make a difference and become an equine hero. If you would like more information or if you’re interested in riding, volunteering or supporting Helping Horse, please contact us at .
