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Autism Program began in August of 2008 with the support of Summit Endowment who provided grant monies to hire a full time instructor for the development of the program and instruction of the children. The program provides weekly therapeutic riding lessons to individuals with Autism ages 3-25. Each person who enrolls in the program comes for an hour-long lesson once a week, for a year-round program: February through December. During that time the students learn general horsemanship skills including grooming, tacking up, and progressive riding skills. All participants are evaluated before they are enrolled in the program to make sure they are physical able to participate, have a diagnosis of Autism, Aspergers, or PDD from a physician, meet the age requirements, and are able to be accommodated by the program.  Through the riding program, the hope is to see improvements in the following areas: communication skills, social reciprocation, attention and visual skills, coping skills, and behavior. To track these areas, each rider is evaluated bi-weekly and monthly by the instructor and the parents/guardians.
For more information on the program for autistic
children, please email our instructor Leah
Good.
Driving Program is designed to accommodate our riders who exceed the weight limit placed on our program horses or those who cannot safely sit upright to sit astride a horse. The carriage is wheelchair accessible so it can be utilized by all cleared participants.
General Program - Therapeutic Riding has been operating at the same location for the past 27 years. The program is separated into two separate sessions each lasting approximately 14 weeks – both between the months of April and November. The program provides recreation for the riders as well as meeting therapeutic goals. Whenever possible, adaptations are made so that a variety of disabilities can be accommodated. A licensed physical therapist evaluates all potential riders before they can start within the program to make sure they are eligible for participation.  Based on the NARHA standards for who is eligible, there are disabilities that prohibit some people from riding. For more information the cases will be reviewed/discussed with the therapist in charge of case by case enrollment. The instructors are all volunteers who have given their time to teach those with disabilities within the community. Each of the instructors are either PACTH or NARHA certified.
For more information on the driving or general riding program, please contact Stephanie Corum |
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