Adaptive Horsemanship & Riding
Adaptive Horsemanship & Riding (formerly known as Therapeutic Riding) is designed for children and adults with special needs. This is an Equine-Assisted Service combining Adaptive Riding and Equine-Assisted Learning. Those may be some terms you have never heard before so let us give you an explanation.
Adaptive Riding/Therapeutic Riding may both be used to name and describe services that focus on skillfully adapting riding and making natural healthful benefits of riding and horses accessible to individuals and groups with diverse needs. Instructors should have extensive expertise in riding instruction across the continuum of horsemanship skills, from groundwork to riding. Potential benefits may include physical fitness and improved cognitive, emotional, social, or behavioral skills.
Equine-Assisted Learning engages people of all ages in learning processes that focus on academic skills, character development, and the promotion of relevant life skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
What may a lesson look like?
There is no “typical lesson”. We value flexibility and tailor each lesson to the participants’ needs and interests. Each week could look completely different and include a learning game, grooming their horse, an art activity and/or learning how to steer their horse while riding. Safety is always our number one priority. Each lesson is 45-minutes long and on the same day/time each week for the 8-week session. Our Certified Instructors set 3-5 individualized goals for each participant for each 8-week session. While our lessons are designed to progress each participant toward the goal of riding and learning riding skills, we offer a variety of farm and equine learning activities. For example, a lesson may include a balance game, grooming, and riding lesson. Each participant will have a volunteer to lead their horse and one to two volunteers that will walk alongside them to assist in the lesson and to keep them safe.
More than just a "pony ride"
We value promoting independence in participants of all abilities; therefore, we are more than just a "pony ride". We do not offer lessons to the general public as we specialize in working with those with diverse needs. Participants may not ride each week as we work on building additional skills off the horse all while relating it back to the horses.
Adaptive Riding/Therapeutic Riding may both be used to name and describe services that focus on skillfully adapting riding and making natural healthful benefits of riding and horses accessible to individuals and groups with diverse needs. Instructors should have extensive expertise in riding instruction across the continuum of horsemanship skills, from groundwork to riding. Potential benefits may include physical fitness and improved cognitive, emotional, social, or behavioral skills.
Equine-Assisted Learning engages people of all ages in learning processes that focus on academic skills, character development, and the promotion of relevant life skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
What may a lesson look like?
There is no “typical lesson”. We value flexibility and tailor each lesson to the participants’ needs and interests. Each week could look completely different and include a learning game, grooming their horse, an art activity and/or learning how to steer their horse while riding. Safety is always our number one priority. Each lesson is 45-minutes long and on the same day/time each week for the 8-week session. Our Certified Instructors set 3-5 individualized goals for each participant for each 8-week session. While our lessons are designed to progress each participant toward the goal of riding and learning riding skills, we offer a variety of farm and equine learning activities. For example, a lesson may include a balance game, grooming, and riding lesson. Each participant will have a volunteer to lead their horse and one to two volunteers that will walk alongside them to assist in the lesson and to keep them safe.
More than just a "pony ride"
We value promoting independence in participants of all abilities; therefore, we are more than just a "pony ride". We do not offer lessons to the general public as we specialize in working with those with diverse needs. Participants may not ride each week as we work on building additional skills off the horse all while relating it back to the horses.
Download the 2022 Adaptive Horsemanship & Riding Registration forms here:
2022 REGISTRATION FORM Please complete these forms (including the Physician Statement) and email them to our Program Coordinator at afogle@autumntrailsstable.org. We MUST have the forms and payment for at least the FIRST lesson in order to secure a spot for your student. |
2022 SESSION DATES
SPRING SESSION - 8 weeks April 4th – May 28th = Session Deadline to Register RETURNING Students is March 7th Deadline to Register NEW Students is March 21st SUMMER SESSION - 8 weeks June 13th – August 13th = Session *No lessons during July 4th week! Deadline to Register RETURNING Students is May 13th Deadline to Register NEW Students is May 28th FALL SESSION - 8 weeks September 6th – October 31st = Session Deadline to Register RETURNING Students is July 29th Deadline to Register NEW Students is August 12th **Dates are subject to change. |