FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

We offer weekly therapeutic riding lessons both mounted and unmounted geared to the needs of the individual rider. Mounted students initally ride with a horse leader who controls the horse and one or two side-walkers who walk on either side of the horse. As students progress in maintaining balance as well as control of the horse, they will start to ride without side-walkers or horse leader.  Most riders begin on a bareback pad to assess balance and muscle tone. Bareback pads provide excellent sensory feedback to the rider. Most riders will eventually transition to an English sadde, which also provides feedback from the horse's movement. Unmounted students care for their horses from the ground and progress in a variety of horsemanship and personal skills.

In additional to weekly therapeutic lessons, we offer half-day summer  camps and we also partner with community organizations to bring equine-assisted acvitities to larger groups.

There is no set length of time for involvement in the program. Most lessons are scheduled in 5 to 9 week sessions, but current students have priority to continue from session to session. As long as students are finding benefit to their lessons and we have horses and staffing to fit their needs, they are welcome. We have many long term students.

The goal of each therapeutic riding lesson is to motivate students to ride as independently as possible while providing supports to keep them safe. Benefits may include enhanced balance and coordination, improved core strength and muscle development, increased cognitive processing and short term memory, enhanced communication and social skills, greater self-confidence, and support for emotional regulation and mental health.

We utilize a special mounting ramp that allows one to get a wheelchair almost level to the horse's back. The therapy horse is brought right up to the student and we assist the rider onto the horse.

Partners Therapeutic Horsemanship accepts a wide variety of riders with disabilities. We follow PATH International guidelines when determining the appropriateness of our program for each rider. Our riders come from individual families, group homes, and special education programs. We accept referrals from physicians, therapists, schools, and California Regional Centers.

   Therapeutic lesson students are billed at the start of each 5 to 9 week session. The cost breaks down to $45 per week for a 30-minute lesson or $60 per week for a 45-minute lesson. 

   Summer campers are billed $350 per week.

   Community Partners are billed at individually contracted rates.