Therapeutic Riding encompasses the use of equine-assisted activities to improve the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being of people with disabilities. Each rider is carefully screened and assessed for proper placement with a suitable horse, instructor and volunteer team.

There are four therapeutic riding classifications which can usually be integrated into a rider's goals and objective within the lesson plan: Therapy, Education, Sport and Recreation/Leisure. It is important to note, however that each can be practiced as a specialty.

1. Therapy: You may have heard somewhere the term "hippotherapy" used in association with therapeutic riding. To avoid confusion, hippotherapy involves a licensed/credentialed health professional who participates directly with the horse, rider, volunteer and instructor team in the riding session.

An unmounted treatment from the health professional, such as a physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech/language therapist or psychotherapist, may begin or end the session. The mounted portion of the treatment session does not necessarily involve the instruction of riding skills, but rather utilizes the horse as a treatment modality for cognitive, physical, emotional and/or social therapeutic goals.

Most often, payment for hippotherapy is billed by the health professional who is affiliated with the riding program.

At this time, Miracles in Motion is looking into this program option. Please speak with the Program Director for more information.

2. Education: For riders with physical, mental and psychological impairments, an emphasis is placed on incorporating such goals into a riding, driving or vaulting lesson plan The therapeutic riding lesson is taught by a certified therapeutic riding instructor. On occasion and on an individual basis, a consultation may be made to a health professional.

Miracles in Motion currently provides therapeutic riding and we look forward to speaking with potential riders about their individual needs. Driving and vaulting are not currently a part of our curriculum though please let us know if this is an area of particular interest to you.

3. Sport: Sport activities such as riding, driving and vaulting, which lead toward the acquisition of skills to accomplish a specific horsemanship goal, are taught with sport, therapeutic and recreational goals in mind. These lessons are taught by certified therapeutic riding instructors, with consultation of a health professional as needed.

Miracles in Motion integrates specific horsemanship goals into the therapeutic riding lesson where appropriate for that particular rider.

4. Recreation/Leisure: Adapted horse-related activities are used to provide an enjoyable and realizing experience to benefit a rider in the following ways: socialization, posture, mobility and overall improved quality of life. The atmosphere supports the intrinsic enjoyment of riding with non competitive goals unique to each individual.