Adaptive Riding

Adaptive Riding offers participants of all ages and abilities the opportunity to develop strength, balance, confidence, and communication while riding or working alongside our specially trained horses. Lessons are individualized to meet each rider’s goals and can focus on physical development, emotional regulation, social skills, cognitive growth, or simply the joy of connecting with a horse. Our certified instructors and trained volunteers work together to create a safe, supportive, and empowering experience for every rider.

We Celebrate Every Step

A young boy wearing a helmet rides a horse decorated with blue sunglasses and a lei, while smiling and sitting upright. Three volunteers, all wearing pink shirts, leis, and hats, stand around him smiling, inside a large indoor space with metal walls.
A young person participates in an adaptive riding lesson at The Right Step, Inc. The horse has neon green rings on its ears.
A young girl wearing a helmet riding a brown horse with a white blaze, accompanied by three women standing nearby inside a covered riding arena.
A client at The Right Step Inc., wearing a pink helmet smiling next to a tan horse with a blue halter, both with their heads close together.
A young The Right Step Inc. client in a wheelchair wearing a helmet, holding carrots and a bunch of greens, outdoors on a dirt path with cars parked in the background.
A smiling man hugging a light brown horse with a white blaze on its face inside The Right Step Inc. barn.
A young The Right Step Inc. client in riding gear sitting on a black and white horse, doing an activity during her adaptive riding lesson.
Person riding a horse at The Right Step Inc. indoor riding arena with orange cones set up along the path.

FAQs

  • Adaptive Riding is a mounted equine-assisted activity that supports physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development. Riders participate in lessons designed around their unique needs and goals while safely riding horses selected for their calm temperament and training.

  • Adaptive Riding may help riders improve:

    • Balance and core strength

    • Coordination and motor skills

    • Confidence and self-esteem

    • Sensory integration

    • Communication and social engagement

    • Emotional regulation

    • Focus and task completion

    Each lesson is tailored to the participant’s abilities and therapeutic goals.

  • We serve children, teens, and adults with a wide range of physical, cognitive, developmental, and emotional disabilities. Riders do not need prior horse experience. Our instructors adapt each lesson according to ability, comfort level, and safety considerations.

  • Adaptive Riding is designed to be therapeutic, but it is not clinical therapy. Our lessons are taught by certified PATH Intl. riding instructors and focus on recreational, developmental, and skill-building outcomes — often providing a fun, engaging, and cost-effective alternative to traditional therapy. If you are specifically seeking clinical hippotherapy, TRS does have access to a licensed hippotherapist. Please submit your information through the form below, and we will be happy to connect you and help determine the best fit for your needs.

  • For the safety and well-being of our horses and riders, the mounted weight limit for Adaptive Riding is 180 lbs. Participants above this limit will continue developing their horsemanship skills on the ground through hands-on activities that build connection, confidence, and knowledge of horse care.

  • Adaptive Riding lessons are:

    • 30 minutes for private lessons or 45 minutes for group lessons

    • Lessons are offered in 8-week sessions and are prepaid at a total cost of $560 per session.

    Lessons may include warmup activities, skill-building exercises, sensory elements, games, and opportunities for connection and confidence-building.

  • Yes. We are committed to accessibility and offer scholarship opportunities for families who may need financial assistance. Please contact us to learn more about applying.

  • Lessons may involve:

    • Mounting and dismounting with instructor support

    • Riding at the walk and, when appropriate, the trot

    • Pattern work and obstacle courses

    • Balance and coordination exercises

    • Games and activities that support cognitive or sensory goals

    • Positive reinforcement and connection with the horse

    Each session starts with rider readiness and ends with a cool-down or interaction with the horse.

  • A diagnosis is not required. However, riders must complete intake paperwork and a physician’s acknowledgement form to ensure that Adaptive Riding is safe and appropriate for their needs.

  • TRS does not bill insurance directly. However, some participants are able to use recreation funds through programs such as Rocky Mountain Human Services (RMHS) or Developmental Pathways. In these cases, TRS bills the participant directly and payment is the responsibility of the client or family. Reimbursement must be arranged separately through the applicable organization.

  • PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) is the leading organization that sets standards for safety and excellence in adaptive and therapeutic horsemanship programs. All TRS instructors are PATH Certified, and TRS is proud to be a Premier PATH Accredited Center.

    To learn more about PATH International, visit www.pathintl.org.

Ready to
get started?

Ready to learn more or schedule a session? Complete the form below, and our team will connect with you to discuss your goals, answer questions, and help you get started in our Adaptive Riding program.

**Barn Visit & Appointment Note

To keep our riders and horses safe, the barn is open by appointment only. If you’d like to observe a lesson, schedule a tour, or bring a group to TRS, please reach out using the form above and we’ll help coordinate your visit.