Horse Power Therapeutic Riding and Driving Lessons
Touchstone Farm is an authorized Path International instructor certification center for both carriage driving and riding programs. PATH International provides leadership and guidance for equine assisted activities and therapies. For more information on Path International please visit: https://pathintl.org/
How Do Horses Have a Therapeutic Benefit?
Clients can relate to horses in a way they might not be able to do with people in their lives. As they identify with the horses they often become more open to learning and communication. They can model the positive behavior they see in the instructors and volunteers who work with them. As they are exposed to the components of a healthy relationship (trust, dependability, responsibility, empathy, awareness of boundaries, discipline, patience, respect) they will often begin to demonstrate these qualities in their relationships and interactions with others.
The movement of the horse (at the walk) mimics the movement of a person’s hips as they walk and this can be very effective for clients who have physical disabilities, range of motion and mobility problems.
Clients are often more open to accepting the “feedback” from the horse than they are from others in their life (parents, guardians, therapists) and can make appropriate adjustments to their reactions, decisions, etc. to help them make positive changes and growth.
For questions regarding lessons and pricing, please call or e-mail Kris Young:
Phone: 603.654.6308 | Email: lessons@touchstone-farm.org
Horse Power Therapeutic Riding Lessons
At Touchstone Farm, we welcome riders of all ages and riding levels. We believe you are never too old to learn how to ride, and experience the healing powers of a horse.
We are committed to helping you achieve your personal riding goals. In every lesson — private or group — we work with you to build the skills that can enable you to become the rider YOU want to be.
When you sign up for lessons at Touchstone Farm, we’ll match you with the appropriate instructor, lesson level, and lesson horse for the goals you want to achieve.
Before beginning lessons, we conduct an evaluation interview to determine what size lesson is best for the rider. This evaluation also helps us select the best horse or pony for the rider.
Lesson Details:
Private, semi-private and group lessons are available, depending on the needs of the rider. Before beginning lessons, we conduct an evaluation interview to determine what size lesson is best for the rider. This evaluation also helps us select the best horse or pony for the rider.
Horse Power Therapeutic Carriage Driving
Therapeutic Driving is both fun and challenging! Whether you want to find a low impact and sociable way to enjoy horses, participate with your loved one who has a challenge, enjoy the thrill of driving and learning, regardless of your challenges or even compete in a US Driving for the Disabled competition specifically geared to drivers with a disability….. We are the right place for you!
The benefits of Therapeutic Carriage Driving include
- Excellent exercise for those with limited mobility
- Offers social interaction and integration
- Establishes trust, confidence and self-esteem
- Improves hand-eye coordination
- Enhances Core strength
- Challenges memory
- Fun, interesting and different!
Let our nationally trained and certified instructors help you or your loved one with a disability find just the right safe and kind horse for you. With a wide variety of two and four wheeled vehicles, we can serve almost anyone!
For those of you in a wheelchair, we even have a wheelchair accessible carriage, complete with ramp and seating for a family member or aide. Thanks to the generosity of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, this wheelchair accessible carriage is brand new and easy to enter. With a special harness for the horse which is outfitted with several safety release mechanisms, we are prepared for anything. Let our team share their love of driving with you or your family member who has special needs. Along your journey, you will uncover a unique sense of connection and trust with the horses. Young and old, challenged or not, we have the right harness, horse, instructor and carriage for you to begin your journey of empowerment that builds confidence and self-esteem.
Lesson Details:
We have the equipment, horses, instructors and volunteers to provide group lessons of up to six students from schools or residential treatment facilities. However, most of our Horse Power driving lessons are given to one student at a time in a private lesson. The team is made up of an Able Bodied Whip who accompanies the student in the carriage. The instructor is most often on the ground to give instruction and to help maintain safety. Therapeutic Driving is both fun and challenging for people of all ages and abilities!
Horse Power Lesson Information
For questions regarding lessons and pricing, please call or e-mail Kris Young:
Phone: 603.654.6308 | Email: lessons@touchstone-farm.org
Payment Policy:
Horse Power Riding and Driving lessons payment is due either in full at the start of lessons, or half by the first lesson and the remaining balance halfway through the lessons.
Cancellation Policy:
Participants must contact the Touchstone Farm Office, 603-654-6308, 24 hours in advance to reschedule a lesson. If a participant does not call and does not show up for a lesson, the lesson will not be made up or rescheduled and the lesson fee is still due.
