About Our Programs

ROSL holds itself to the highest standard of therapeutic equine activities available. Riding instructors are certified and in current standing with Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH). For more information about PATH go to www.pathintl.org. Our Special Education teacher is state licensed. Therapists and Therapy Assistants are licensed through the State of Missouri, Division of Professional Registration and they are registered with the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA.) All staff is current with CPR and First Aid, and meets or exceeds their requirements of continuing education hours.

Ride On St Louis currently offers three different types of tracks for our clients to participate: Hippotherapy, Therapeutic Riding, and Sports Riding. Riders are placed into the appropriate program by our ROSL team which consists of Therapeutic Riding Instructors, a Physical Therapist, Physical Therapy Assistant or Special Education Teacher.

Hippotherapy

The American Hippotherapy Association defines hippotherapy as a physical, occupational, or speech therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement. Hippotherapy provides the student with one-on-one treatment from the therapist. As the client sits on the moving horse, automatic balance reactions occur in response to the horse's movements along with constant sensory input. The combination of movements serves to facilitate postural and motor control reactions in clients with severe or multiple disabilities. The therapist works with each client to evaluate and modify the client's response to achieve functional goals.

Therapeutic Riding

These lessons can be private or groups up to 4 riders. Students are encouraged to perform activities directed toward functional goals; stretches, muscle strengthening, problem solving, communication, social and sensory integration. These sessions incorporate horsemanship, skills and a wide variety of games and activities. Therapeutic riding instructors design lesson plans on the rider's individual needs with information offered by parents, social workers, or teachers. Therapeutic riding instructors design lesson plans on the rider's individual needs with information offered by parents, social workers, or teachers.

ROSL uses safety stirrup irons, peacock or Devonshire boots, for all clients. It is suggested that all riders follow these guidelines.

Sports Riding

This is a private or group lesson with a maximum of 4 riders instructed by a certified therapeutic riding instructor. Sports riding teaches the student to ride and control the horse to the best of his/her ability. The lesson components may have grooming, tacking, ground handling, and warm-up exercises, as well as instruction in the walk, trot, sitting trot, posting trot, group games, and (if independent) the canter or jumps. Sports Riders MUST wear appropriate riding attire that includes closed toe shoes with a heel, preferably a riding boot, and long pants that do not bind.