Ridgebury Farm and Stables is located in backcountry Ridgefield on 56 acres with beautiful private trails and endless open pastures and is the only American Hippotherapy Association recognized facility in New England and New York.
We offer one on one sessions with a licensed therapist for both Hippotherapy (occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology) as well as Equine Assisted Therapy.
Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy is occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech-language pathology using a horse as the modality.
It requires three people for each session: the licensed therapist, a lead-handler for the horse, and a side-walker to support the patient. This is true clinical therapy with using the movement and benefit of the horse working towards your goals.
Equine Assisted Therapy
In Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT) the client independently rides the horse while all physical, sensory, emotional, and mental challenges the rider may face are taken into consideration in creating the plan and goals for each session. This allows for a low-pressure environment where the rider can set the pace of the session according to their needs. Equine-Assisted Therapy is proven to be beneficial in helping people with a variety of mental health challenges ranging from depression, anxiety, autism, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, and more. These one-on-one sessions allow for a much more organic and natural progression in each session.