• Little Bit Therapeutic Riding Center offers horseback riding and hippotherapy services to children and adults with disabilities. We have the ability to serve about 200 riders per week, as well as treat 40 physical/ occupational therapy clients. We are located on 5 acres, have 20 horses, and 22 staff members. Founded by a woman with multiple sclerosis, we have been pioneers in this field for 28 years.

  Throughout the year, people with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities attend therapeutic riding sessions at Little Bit where they work with a trusted, accepting four-legged partner and are surrounded by supportive instructors and volunteers. The horse's soothing rhythm, strength, warmth, and three-dimensional movement pattern provides healthy exercise while improving circulation and muscle tone.

  The discipline associated with working with horses and the social interactions between peers benefit the mind and spirit while raising self-esteem and increasing self-sufficiency through accomplishment. The unconditional love of the horses is proved to reduce anxiety, encourage interaction and offer a haven where riders can feel a sense of empowerment.

  During each of the four ten-week quarters annually, Little Bit's riders typically participate once or twice per week in one of the programs. Currently we offer five programs, Sports Riding, Hippotherapy, Developmental Model, Vaulting, and the Multiple Sclerosis group.

Programs

Sports Riding is a one-hour lesson with one to four other riders similar in either age or ability (this also includes a limited number of private one-on-one lessons), that focus on increasing individual riding skills while gaining a therapeutic benefit. These benefits include increasing muscle tone and strength, improving hand/eye coordination and balance, improving peer interaction and communication, increasing self-esteem, and developing a sense of control. Instructors establish goals for each rider, working with the parents, guardian, and/or rider, at the beginning of each quarter. They create a wide variety of games and exercises designed to increase the student's ability to listen, learn, and communicate. In addition, all riders work on improving their horsemanship skills and a willingness to try new things and attain new goals. Students not only improve their riding skills but are taught how to help groom and tack their horses. Classes include arena riding, trail rides, and group activities.

Hippotherapy is an intensive one-on-one therapy session with a licensed physical therapist who utilizes the horse itself as a therapy tool.

While walking, the horse moves in a three-dimensional pattern similar to the action of the human pelvis during normal, upright walking. Difficult to duplicate in the traditional clinical setting, the result offers an improved potential for walking and normal hip development in disabled individuals. Upper body benefits include improved hand/eye coordination, posture and balance. The on-site physical therapy room is often used in conjunction with Hippotherapy, depending on an individual's needs. Truncal muscles are stimulated by using a variety of movements, allowing speech to come more easily. Interactivity and play are utilized to reach children within the Autism Spectrum, encouraging and rewarding engagement and reciprocity.

Developmental Model was created in 2001 and involves the Physical Therapist working directly with our instructors and two riders in a therapy session. While riders typically graduate from Hippotherapy into Sports Riding, we found some riders were not ready to move directly to a group class. The Developmental Model not only works on improved muscle tone, balance, and hand/eye coordination but allows the Physical Therapist to work side by side with our instructors, increasing their knowledge of the riders' physical challenges and needs while transitioning the riders more effectively into future Sports Riding classes.

Developmental Vaulting was also new in 2001 and offers riders the opportunity to greatly improve balance while strengthening and controlling muscles.

As riders learn to ride backwards, kneel, and even stand on the horse while in motion, their self-confidence also increases. One rider improved her weak side so much that she is now able to take karate lessons.

MS Multiple Sclerosis Group was a class started in Fall of 2002. Dealing with the effects of Multiple Sclerosis holds unique challenges. In response to needs demonstrated by some of our riders, we created this class to specifically focus on these challenges under the direction of our Physical Therapist. This class currently includes yoga and pilates and works to maintain endurance, improve muscle tone, as well as provide an opportunity to socialize and gain support.

Depending on their ability, all Little Bit students may ride independently during their hour-long lessons or may be aided by one to three volunteers each. Volunteers receive training from the Little Bit instructors and are also prepped on the needs of each rider they work with during a class. Most riders begin at Little Bit with one volunteer leading the horse and a volunteer on either side of the horse assisting with the posture and balance of the rider for safety. Staff knows they are successful as riders improve their skills.