LITTLE BIT THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER

ADAPTIVE RIDING SERVICES: ADAPTIVE RIDING FOCUSES ON INCREASING INDIVIDUAL RIDING SKILLS WHILE GAINING THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS. LESSONS ARE TAUGHT BY ONE OF OUR INSTRUCTORS CERTIFIED BY THE PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THERAPEUTIC HORSEMANSHIP INTERNATIONAL (PATH). PARTICIPANTS SHOW IMPROVED INDEPENDENCE, SELF-ESTEEM, CONCENTRATION, VERBAL FLUENCY AND REDUCED ANXIETY. IN 2024, DURING OUR 42 WEEKS OF REGULAR ADAPTIVE PROGRAMMING, 5,123 ADAPTIVE RIDING LESSONS WERE PROVIDED FOR 174 PARTICIPANTS. EQUINE-FACILITATED PSYCHOTHERAPY (EFP) AND EQUINE-ASSISTED LEARNING (EAL) INVOLVE LITTLE BIT PARTNERING WITH LOCAL MENTAL HEALTH THERAPISTS (EFP) AND EDUCATORS (EAL) TO PROVIDE SERVICES AT OUR FACILITY. THERAPISTS AND EDUCATORS WORK HAND IN HAND WITH LITTLE BIT STAFF WHO HAVE BEEN CERTIFIED BY PATH AS EQUINE SPECIALISTS. HORSES ARE UNIQUELY SUITED TO THIS KIND OF THERAPY BECAUSE THEY ARE INTUITIVE AND WILL REACT TO BEHAVIOR PATTERNS AND CUES THAT PEOPLE MIGHT MISS, ALLOWING THE THERAPIST OR EDUCATOR TO INTERACT ON A DEEPER LEVEL WITH THEIR PATIENT OR STUDENT AND ADDRESS ISSUES THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE GO UNNOTICED. IN 2024, EFP SERVICES WERE PROVIDED FOR 13 PARTICIPANTS IN 276 SESSIONS, AND 125 PARTICIPANTS TOOK PART IN 98 EAL SESSIONS. IN 2024, ADAPTIVE SUMMER CAMP SERVED 64 PARTICIPANTS WITH DISABILITIES AND 12 NEUROTYPICAL PARTICIPANTS IN 8 WEEK-LONG CAMPS.

THERAPY SERVICES: THERAPY AT LITTLE BIT IS AN INTENSIVE MEDICAL TREATMENT DURING WHICH A LICENSED PHYSICAL, OCCUPATIONAL, OR SPEECH-LANGUAGE THERAPIST WORKS WITH A PATIENT, INCORPORATING THE MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE, OR THE HORSE ITSELF, AS PART OF THE TREATMENT. THE THERAPIST USES THE MOVEMENT OF THE HORSE TO ADDRESS THE PATIENT'S CHALLENGES, SUCH AS DEFICITS IN BALANCE, STRENGTH, ENDURANCE, COORDINATION, COMMUNICATION, AND ATTENTION. THIS THERAPY DOES NOT TEACH RIDING SKILLS, RATHER THE GOALS ARE GEARED TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE FOR DAILY ACTIVITIES AND INCREASED PARTICIPATION IN FAMILY, SCHOOL, AND COMMUNITY LIFE. IN 2024, LITTLE BIT PROVIDED 3,811 TREATMENT SESSIONS AND 82 EVALUATIONS TO 160 PATIENTS.