Therapeutic riding and horsemanship lessons are offered for children and adults with special needs and disabilities, youth at-risk, and those who have been through trauma.  Therapeutic riders may be integrated with our Standard Lesson students to encourage socialization and progression as needed.  Horseback riding offers a variety of benefits in physical, emotional, social, educational, and mental health.  Working with horses and creating relationships with them can be empowering and help participants gain more self-control, self-respect, emotional awareness, reduce anxiety, and so much more.  The movement of the horse emulates the human walk and can help build torso strength, encourage balance, and trunk control.  The movement also stimulates the child's sensory system and can soothe and calm riders, or encourage them to be more engaged.  Communication and clear speech is encouraged by movement through the rider's neural pathways. Educational aspects can be added in to aid in educational growth, and gross and fine motor skills are exercised all while learning to ride and care for the horse.  To join our Therapeutic Riding program please:
1) ​Complete the Online Application Here
2) Download the Physician's forms to send to your doctor (physician's signature required to ride)
3)Send in the full application
4)We will call to speak with you and schedule an evaluation
Of course you are welcome to call our office with any questions/concerns.
OR
DOWNLOAD THE FULL PRINTABLE APPLICATION HERE

Commonly Asked Questions:

1. How long are lessons?   Therapeutic lessons typically last 30-60 minutes depending on the rider's stamina, attention span, and safety.
2. How often are lessons?  Lessons occur weekly.  Requests can be made for more often if there is availability.  We do not offer biweekly or monthly options.
3. How much are lessons?  We ask clients to pay $50/lesson on a monthly basis ($200 for a 4-week month).  Our cost is actually closer to $130/hour and we scholarship the difference for every family because we fundraise as a nonprofit to make it more affordable.  If $50 is too much, you can request additional scholarship to reduce the cost further.  Please email us to request a scholarship application or call the office at 704-209-6577.
4. Are discounts available?  We reduce the cost automatically from $130 to $50 for every client.  However, we do offer Scholarships.  Please email us to request a scholarship application.
5. When do you schedule the lessons?  We schedule therapeutic lessons Monday through Friday throughout the day, and Saturday mornings.  After school hours and Saturday mornings typically have limited availability.  Summer hours are morning or late afternoon/evening to avoid the heat.  If we do not currently have availability in your preferred timeslot, we will put you on the waiting list and contact you as soon as something becomes available.
6. How long is the evaluation? Evaluations typically take 20-30 minutes and do not usually include riding.
7. Can we come one time and try it?  Our insurance does not cover one time rides.  We recommend 8 weeks but we can offer to do a one month (4 week) session and see how it goes.  Sometimes fear or sensory issues can cause riders to be hesitant at first and they may need to come a few times to be comfortable mounting the horse.
8. What if we are out of town or sick?  With proper notice we will allow a credit or offer a makeup.  Please see our policies in the application for specific timelines on notifications.  If we know by the end of the month before the absence, we will prorate for the following month for things such as appointments and vacations.
9. What happens if the weather is bad?  If it is safe to do so, we offer ground lessons for riders when the weather isn't appropriate for riding.  If that isn't an option we will schedule a makeup or give a credit.  We will contact you at least one hour prior to the lesson time for inclement weather.  If you need additional notice please let us know.
10. Do we need our own helmet? We do have helmets here that you are welcome to use, especially at first to ensure the rider will be continuing.  However, although we sanitize helmets, it is obviously more sanitary to have your own if you are able.
11. What type of shoes should the rider wear?  Riders should wear closed toed shoes that will stay on and not slip off.  Ideally a boot with a low heel and no or very little tread (cowboy boot, winter dress boot, English riding boot), however the rider can wear tennis shoes as we do have safety stirrups to prevent issues.
12. What type of clothing should the rider wear?  Riders should wear pants to avoid saddle rubs, and clothing appropriate for the weather/temperature of the lesson.  Jackets should be zipped up for safety.

*Need Parenting Tips?* Saving Grace Farm is teaming up with Partners in Learning to offer you an opportunity to receive parenting tips through their Positive Parenting Program.  They can come meet with you, while your child is here receiving therapeutic riding services for your convenience. If your child is offering challenging behaviors (tantrums, melt downs, power struggles) or you could use some new tools up your sleeve to help with these challenges, consider signing up for this program.  Click this link to submit a referral for more information: http://epartnersinlearning.org/triple-p/

CURRENT SCHEDULE                                                                                No Dogs Allowed on Premises for Rider Safety
Our lessons will occur Monday through Saturday in sessions of 5-8 weeks.  Please call 704-209-6577 for more information and availability, or to sign up for a session.  We do a FREE evaluation with each client.  We ask that forms are submitted first, then we schedule the evaluation and set up a good time for client and instructor.  Evaluations must be complete at least one week prior to the first lesson.  Download the application above.
(Suggested sessions of 5-8 weeks from March to December)