FAQ

No, our programming is open to those who need more support or different programming options than traditional equestrian centers offer. There is no requirement for proof of a medical diagnosis or a doctor’s prescription.

No. Since we are not a medical facility, we are unable to accept insurance, Medicaid or Medicare.

No, our programming is open to those who need more support or different programming options than traditional equestrian centers offer.

The minimum participant age for riding is 2.5 years old. There is no maximum age as long as our staff deem the activity safe and appropriate for an individual and a doctor has cleared the individual medically. Our Forest Babies program is open to children as young as 18 months old.

Volunteers must be at least 14 years old. There is no maximum age for volunteers. All volunteers must be able to walk for at least 90 minutes and jog for short stints during each lesson.

During the school year, lessons are given on Sunday mornings and Monday through Thursday, 3-6 pm.

Individual lessons are 30 minutes. Group lessons are usually one hour.

We book by semester, and our semesters follow the seasons. The fall and spring semesters have 12 lessons; the winter and summer have 6 lessons. We do not offer single lessons because we find some participants may need time to adjust to the environment and become familiar with our routine.

Hippotherapy focuses on achieving specific, clinical goals in the areas of occupational, physical or speech therapy. Therapeutic riding is a recreational activity that focuses on teaching each individual to ride a horse within his or her ability. Many riders experience therapeutic benefits such as increased focus, greater flexibility and balance and better fine and gross motor planning. To learn more about the benefits of therapeutic riding, click here.

All participants (riding and non-riding), must wear sturdy, closed-toe shoes and long pants, as well as dress accordingly for outdoor weather conditions. All riders must wear a properly fitted ASTM-SEI-approved helmet and closed-toe shoes. While we use safety stirrups, we require riders working toward independence to wear a boot with a heel, instead of a sneaker.

We are committed to providing this unique recreational activity to as many people as possible. Our costs continue to increase annually, but we have maintained client fees at the same level for more than a decade in order to provide affordable access to our service. Session fees currently cover only a portion of the actual cost to run lessons; we rely on the generosity of our donors to help underwrite the remaining amount each year. Our hope is that we can continue facilitating all of our participants’ personal growth with subsidized tuition for years to come.

Once new participants are enrolled and scheduled, we invite families to come for a tour to become familiar with the location, parking and facilities before a semester begins.