Northern Virginia Therapeutic Riding Program

Types of Riding Services

Horseback riding is beneficial for people with all types of disabilities. Students are given the opportunity to feel freedom when riding a horse. NVTRP offers the following riding services:

Note: Please also see our Riding FAQ page for additional information.

Therapeutic Riding

To put it simply, therapeutic riding is teaching people with disabilities to ride a horse. In fact, studies have shown therapeutic riding to be one of the best activities for people with disabilities, be they physical, mental, or emotional; cerebral palsy, autism, or post-traumatic stress disorder. The great thing about therapeutic riding is that it helps people gain both physical and emotional rewards through challenging and stimulating activities. In the process, it helps them improve balance, strength, coordination, conf idence, concentration, and self-discipline. And you know what else it helps them do? Have fun!

To sign up for therapeutic riding, please see our Getting Started page.

Hippotherapy

It has nothing to do with our friend, the hippopotamus. "Hippo" is actually the Greek word for horse. In hippotherapy, a physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech/language pathologist uses the movement of the horse as a treatment strategy to achieve functional goals for people with disabilities or impairments.

To sign up for hippotherapy, please see our Getting Started page.

Interactive Vaulting

Interactive vaulting is like gymnastics on horseback. Instead of a saddle, the horse wears thick pads and a strap with handles, called a surcingle. The students perform movements on and around the horse. Some vaulting moves include riding backwards, kneeling, and even standing on the horse! Vaulting can be adapted to each participant’s abilities. Interactive vaulting builds teamwork, conf idence, strength, and balance and also promotes -- you guessed it -- more fun!

To sign up for interactive vaulting please contact the NVTRP office directly.

Community Outreach Services Program

Launched in 2009, this innovative program foster collaboration among nonprofits who serve children and adults with disabilities, youth-at-risk, and recovering military service personnel. Through these group riding sessions, NVTRP has introduced about 75 new riders to the benefits of therapeutic horsemanship in just the first year. Our goal: to improve mobility, socialization, independence, and community integration. One example that makes us especially proud is our collaboration with the USO to create a riding program for our recovering military service personnel and their families. Efforts like this are the cornerstone of our program.

For more information or to schedule riding for your group, please contact the NVTRP office directly.

Community Lessons

NVTRP provides an inclusive setting where individuals with and without disabilities build relationships. As part of this culture, we offer riding lessons to individuals without disabilities through Fairfax County.

To sign up for our community lesson program please contact the NVTRP office directly.