Through SaddleUp! Foundation™ programs, we provide horse therapy for the mentally, emotionally, and physically challenged, including but not limited to, Autism Spectrum Disorders, ADD/ADHD, Traumatic Paralysis, Muscular Dystrophy, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Fragile X Syndrome, Prader-Willi Syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis. In order to meet the needs of the participant, our therapists and instructors utilize advanced techniques and equipment for hippotherapy and therapeutic activities such as riding and vaulting in addition to Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) and Psychotherapy (EFP.) Please familiarize yourself with the programs at SaddleUp! Foundation in order to better understand what service might be right for you or your child.

Hippotherapy is a form of therapy that uses the movement of the horse as a modality to achieve therapy goals that is provided by a licensed physical, occupational or speech therapist. It requires a physician’s release or approval. The natural movement of the horse is used to help individuals with special needs increase their functional abilities and achieve greater independence. The horses’ movement translates through the body, causing many parts of the participant’s body to do the work, thus facilitating activation of postural control, balance, motor and sensory systems. The therapist can modify the horse’s movement, to promote specific responses within the participant. Horses are the perfect partners because a horses’ movement simulates the same three movements as a human pelvis, and it creates a movement pattern similar to a human walk. The horse also provides sensory input that promotes increased motor function.

Hippotherapy can be beneficial to individuals with any number of physical and/or cognitive disabilities. These disabilities limit physical movement, strength, abnormal muscle tone or reflexes, impaired sensorimotor function, postural symmetry or limited trunk mobility, as well as the ability to relate to others.

Hippotherapy is different from therapeutic riding. Hippotherapy will focus on the physical benefits to the participant; whereas, in therapeutic riding, the participant will also learn horsemanship and riding skills.

Equine Facilitated Activities can be beneficial to individuals with physical, cognitive, developmental, and learning differences and have been known to improve balance, strength, circulation, sensorimotor integration, increased self esteem, motivation, social skills, flexibility, learning, responsiveness and adaptability. Equine Facilitated Programs include those services provided by trained professionals focusing on sport, recreation, leisure, and/or education. Examples of Equine Facilitated Activities are: therapeutic horseback riding, vaulting and equine facilitated learning. The activities are skill-based lessons, focusing on skill development and progression, while improving theparticipant’s physical, cognitive, emotional, learning and/or social skills, and are often guided by an educational or learning model.

The professional guiding this experience is a specially trained certified instructor. Some lessons may also be taught by instructors that are working on their certification, but the lesson is overseen by a certified instructor. The professional’s expertise provides them with training in specialized, adaptive teaching methods. These methods allow our participants with a variety of disabilities to learn horsemanship skills and experience the equine environment. As abilities allow, the participants will participate in pre-mounted and post-mounted horse care.

Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) is an emerging field, an exciting new modality of therapy that focuses on the relationship between horse and human bond that can support the individual, couple, family or groups’ emotional growth, learning and healing. It involves a collaborative effort between a facilitator, equine professional, a client and a horse. Participants learn about themselves and their relationship to others by being in a relationship with the horses, participating in activities with the horses, and then by processing their thoughts, feelings, behaviors and patterns.

All of these services are available for adults and children.

A Horse is a Horse…is a Therapist! Most horses, perhaps with the exception of stallions and competition horses can be used for equine facilitated activities and therapies. What is important is that they have a calm, patient and trainable temperament. The horse’s job can be extremely stressful, so the ‘right’ horse is one of the most important ingredients for a successful experience. Safety is the top priority and every horse has to undergo a thorough assessment before being considered for the program. We proactively train our staff and horses to cope with stressful situations on a regular basis. Although there is no such thing as a bomb-proof horse, the SaddleUp! Foundation is proud of its “mother-approved” herd.

Although our focus is on disabled therapy, able bodied riders also come to SaddleUp! Foundation. They often help as "sidewalkers" and to assist with care for the horses. This makes for a fun atmosphere for all, and helps to lower overhead, which, in turn, enables us to keep our fees low for the riders that have disabilities and their families.