SpiritHorse Therapeutic Riding Center

To Improve the Quality of Life of People with Disabilities, Children who are Victims of Abuse, and At-Risk-Youth through Interaction with Horses

SpiritHorse Therapeutic provides free, weekly therapeutic riding lessons for people of all ages with disabilities. We also have a "Children Who are Victims of Abuse" and an "At-Risk-Youth" program. Click on these topics above for more information on these programs.

Lessons are provided Tuesday through Sunday, 730A till 830P. Scheduling is difficult with 400 riders and an average of 7 applicants each week, but we always find a way. We do not have a waiting list. Our goal is to schedule a rider within one week of the completion of their application.

We teach riding but our principal goal is therapy. We currently have 14 therapy ponies and horses in our program. Their average age is 20 years and they have an average of 15 years excellent training and experience. They are selected very carefully for their gentleness, level of training, and love of their work.

Lessons start with the rider leading the pony or horse from the pasture gate to the barn, to the ability they have and can develop. Our ponies and horses lead from wheelchairs, walkers, and canes. Many of our two year-old children with disabilities lead their ponies independently. If the child is in their mother (or father’s) arms we place the lead rope in their hands and they lead their pony. All participate.

The rider then assists with grooming to the ability they have and can develop. They carry their own saddle or blanket or girth, depending upon their ability at that time, and help saddle their pony or horse. We have found that this participation becomes a very important part of the lesson to our riders. Those with cognitive disabilities learn sequencing, two step task execution, following instructions, and work-reward. They also develop a stronger bond with their pony or horse. Many of our riders look forward to this element as much as to their riding lesson. The leading, grooming, and saddling portion of the lesson usually lasts about 15 minutes.

Riders lead their pony or horse to the mounting ramp and the instructor leads the pony into the ramp. At least one of our parents is required to be sidewalkers for their child. They assist the rider up the ramp, where over time we work to have the rider become self-sufficient in mounting. This provides a greater sense of control and pride in being able to do most of the mount on their own.

We proceed in carefully developed and tested steps, with safety foremost, to develop the rider’s balance and horsemanship skills. It is our goal to eventually have each of our riders be independent, under controlled conditions.

The ridden portion of the lesson is designed to last 30 minutes, with shorter times for our smallest and beginning riders, and longer times for our more advanced riders.

Following the ridden portion, the rider leads the horse or pony to the barn and assists in unsaddling, grooming, and putting away the pony.

The movement of the horse or pony stimulates the rider’s vestibular system (inner ear) which not only controls balance, but all voluntary movement of the body, including speech.  Half way through the lesson,  our students who have an under-stimulated vestibular system (one form of sensory integration dysfunction) become more active vocally and in body movement.

A Success Story:

SpiritHorse is a center full of success stories.  Michael a five-year-old with cerebral palsy and autism exemplifies the commitment and heart of our students.  Michael’s disability has severely limited his participation in many tasks we take for granted, including our therapeutic riding program. His only verbalizations were sounds he made when he was upset which were identical to sounds he made when he was happy.  He also expressed himself by crying.  This was his only vocabulary.  Our riders always help lead the pony from the pasture gate to the barn, according to their ability and participation levels.  At the beginning of each lesson, Michael was given the end of the lead rope and his mother had to place his hand around it and hold it there as he helped me lead the pony.  He had been totally passive and never participated voluntarily.

Recently we handed Michael the lead rope and to our amazement he reached out his hand and took the rope. He held onto it until we were at the barn and we had to actually pry his hand off it to tie up the pony. During his lesson, we continued to try to get him to verbalize. We used the recorders which say: "Go" when the button is pressed, then, as usual, removed the recorders and asked Michael to say, “go” to the pony Snowflake. He had never repeated a word to anyone. After about twenty attempts, Michael surprised everyone when he said, “go”.  This was his first spoken word! His mother had waited a very long time for this cherished event and SpiritHorse was proud to share it with her.  Michael was thought to be hopeless. No one is hopeless who comes to SpiritHorse.

1960 Post Oak Road
Corinth, Texas 76210
(940) 497-2946