Our Riders
Individuals facing special challenges from autism, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, brain injury, learning or developmental delays, hearing and vision impairment, speech impairment, emotional or behavioral challenges, muscular dystrophy, orthopedic, sensory integration, recovery from injury /illness, and emotional trauma such as divorce or loss of a loved one can all benefit from the therapeutic benefits of equine companionship and riding. For safety reasons, the minimum age for our students is 4 years old but there is no maximum age, as long as a physician deems it safe.
Discover
HOPE helps students discover their abilities rather than focus on their disabilities.
Goals
Meetings with students/families to discuss goals lead to lesson plans designed specifically for their challenges. The instructor then charts the progress and helps the student to set new goals.
Sense of Self
While students are having lots of fun learning horsemanship skills, they also begin to achieve a new sense of self, finding new abilities like more confidence, independence, patience, balance, flexibility, muscle strength and improved social skills. Best yet, the smiles and abilities ride all the way back home! Families report how these new abilities have made remarkable changes in their everyday interactions and activities at home.
Progress and Responsibility
Students are encouraged to progress as much as they want and are safely able to do so. All students learn the responsibility of caring for their special equine friends.