Tears welled up in my eyes as I watched KC, shaky and unsteady, walk to the front of the group to proudly claim his award of participation. You see, I had never seen KC walk unaided. When KC started with our program as a 3 year old, he required a leader and two sidewalkers. He was unable to walk, his speech was limited, and his fine motor skills were poor. Now he was able to walk on his own, and just about as thrilling, he was able to ride and control a 1000 pound horse, all on his own!
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KC is one of the many success stories Handi-Riders has witnessed since we first opened our doors in 1984. Started as primarily a therapeutic, recreational program, we now have several programs to offer. To learn more about each of our programs, read on.
Providing the use of equine-assisted activities to promote functional independence and overall
personal well-being for individuals that have physical, emotional, and/or cognitive limitations.
With all of our programs, self esteem and confidence is a huge benefit for the riders. Our program uses specially trained horses. Additionally, we use many, many incredible volunteers, which we absolutely could not operate without. To learn more about our horses or volunteer opportunities, visit the pages Prospective Horses and I Want to Volunteer.
In therapeutic riding, riders receive therapeutic benefits from the act of learning to ride a horse. These are group sessions, usually with about 4 riders in each lesson. Students may be children or adults. Goals are set to help the student become a better, more independent rider. Students receive numerous physical, emotional, and cognitive benefits from this activity. These students ride during the summer session. Limited Spring and Fall sessions are sometimes available. Click here for more information on therapeutic riding.
In Hippotherapy, patients receive therapy sessions with a licensed Occupational, Physical, or Speech therapist. These specially trained therapists use the horse and the horse’s natural 3-dimensional movement pattern to achieve various rehabilitation goals. Riders will be in a variety of positions (not always sitting up, and not always facing forward) to meet their therapy goals. These sessions are conducted 1-1. There is a summer session, with limited Spring and Fall sessions available. Click here for more information on Hippotherapy.
This program is currently not in session. Ride Read Succeed was developed as an answer to the National government’s No Child Left Behind Act. Students with low reading abilities are generally “at risk.” When this program is offered, students come to Handi-Riders twice a week for a tutoring session with a qualified tutor. After the first session, the students spend about ½ hour learning barn management. After the second session of the week, providing all homework has been completed, students receive a riding lesson, with cognitive activities built in. This is offered to school age children during the summer only. Click here for more information on Ride Read Succeed.
Some clients are not appropriate to ride, but gain numerous benefits from being around the horses just grooming, leading, and feeding them. This is offered during the summer only. Click here fore more information on Ground Work Only.
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