Equus Lessons and Rates

Equine-Assisted Therapy

Equine-assisted activities for people with disabilities have been shown to improve:

 

• muscle tone
• balance
• posture
• coordination
• motor development
• emotional well-being
• attention/memory

Therapeutic riding and hippotherapy are both equine-assisted activities, but each has a different focus.

 

Therapeutic Riding Is . . .

Therapeutic riding is the sport of riding as a recreational activity that has therapeutic value. It is one of the most beneficial forms of therapy for people with disabilities, as well as for people healing from injury.

 

At Equus, our licensed riding instructors match riders with horses, choose tack and equipment, and tailor each lesson's activities to the rider's needs and goals.

 

Therapeutic riding lessons include everything from basic walk/trot riding instruction to games on horseback (for example, ring toss or basketball) to special challenges (for example, obstacle courses or dressage patterns).

 

The relationship that develops between riders and horses often helps the riders expand their physical, emotional, and intellectual potential. Horsemanship goes beyond riding; the bond between rider and horse fosters attention, concentration, and caring.

 

Hippotherapy Is . . .

Hippotherapy (from the Greek word “hippos,” meaning horse) is equine-assisted physical therapy performed by a licensed medical professional. It utilizes the horse's movement as part of the patient’s treatment.

 

A doctor’s prescription for physical therapy is strongly recommended for hippotherapy clients. Children must be 2 or older, and may have a diagnosis for a condition that limits their functional capabilities, such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, global developmental delay, or autism.

 

“Kids don’t even know they are participating in physical therapy when they are up there on the horse," hippotherpay instructor Carrie Minahan says. "The horse provides of variety sensory stimulation that challenges the mind and body, but the kids just see it as fun!

We can see changes in children’s ability to move, care for themselves, or socialize in as little as 8 weeks of riding once a week for 30 minutes.”

 

Rates for Therapeutic Riding*

Private lesson, 1/2 hour (1 rider):

$175/eight-week session (or $25/lesson)

 

Private lesson, 1 hour (1 rider):

$320/eight-week session (or $40.00/lesson)

 

Semiprivate lesson, 1 hour (2 riders):

$240/eight-week session (or $30.00/lesson) per person

 

Group lesson, 1 hour (3 or more riders):

$175/eight-week session (or $25.00/lesson) per person

 

*Some of the fees will be changing, effective April 1, 2012.

As always, we offer need-based scholarships; we

want to extend the benefits of therapeutic riding to as many

people as possible!

 

Call 413-664-0753 or e-mail us by clicking here for advance information on the fee

changes and/or information on scholarships.

 

Rate for Hippotherapy

Private half-hour session: $50

 

To Register for Lessons

We require the following forms for all riders:

 

1. Registration Form: Click here to download.

2. Parent/Guardian or Teacher Assessment Form: Click here to download.

3. Medical History Form: Click here to download.

4. Rider Release Form: Click here to download.

 

You may also pick up copies of these forms in person

at the Equus office at Oakhollow Farm.

Or you may request to have them sent to you via e-mail by clicking here.