North Star Riding Academy
Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Guided Toward Greatness
At North Star Stables, we see greatness in all of our riders. We want to make a difference in the lives of our participants, families, and the community at large. We are driven by the ideas we founded our non-profit on, balanced riding for the health of the horse and both physical and mental strength for our riders and their families.
Benefits of Therapeutic Riding
Balance
Core strength, a crucial tenant of riding, strengthens and develops, leading to greater balance in and out of the saddle.
Fine Motor Skills
Brushing the horse, holding the reins, grasping the mane, pointing to arena letters, etc. focus on fine motor strength.
Problem Solving
Listening skills, following directions, occupational tasks, social interactions, observing and reacting appropriately to the horse, etc. all develop independent problem solving skills.
Emotional Strength
Interaction with the horse and connection to the natural world often soothe riders and offer a release from the strain of the world. In turn, the horse offers a sentient being that strengthens the emotional and empathetic response of the rider.
Who is Eligible?
Therapeutic Riding teaches the principles of horseback riding for a therapeutic reason. To qualify for our TR program prospective students must have an official diagnosis. What is the process for being accepted into our program?
Restrictions
Our therapuetic riding program accepts students aged 4 through adult with a medical, cognitive, mental, or behavioral diagnosis. Our current horses and infrastructure allow us to serve people 180 pounds. We can serve people with low or no mobility, but will need to address safety on a case-by-case basis. A medical release form, signed by a doctor, is required for review before acceptance into the program.
Get Started
To get started, please be in touch via phone or email and tell us a bit about your student (diagnosis, age, weight, goals, etc.). We will review the information to determine if there is any reason riding would be unsafe. If no concerns exist, we will email a medical release form. Please have our medical release form filled out and returned by your doctor. We will review to determine whether there are contraindications to riding.
Our Certifying Body
We have elected to follow the regulations put forth by PATH International, the premier certifying body for equine assisted activities and therapies. Our therapeutic riding instructors also obtain their certification through PATH.
Cost and financial Assistance
Therapeutic riding lessons do cost more than our able-bodied lessons due to the extra time and finances that go into volunteer and equine training, specialized equipment, and office-work. All lessons are subsidized so that the lesson prices you see on our "Ride with Us" page are valid for therapeutic riding as well. We do offer further partial scholarships to decrease the cost, please contact us to discuss your financial need. Want to contribute to our scholarship fund? We are a 501(c)3 able to provide a tax receipt for any donations received. We are so grateful for the generosity of the community members who allow us to provide services at a discount.