Freedom Ride
We'd like to introduce to you one of Collaborative Corner's partners, Freedom Ride. Freedom Ride is located in Orlando, Florida, and they provide therapeutic horseback riding and hippotherapy to children and adults, ages four years and older.
What is a Hippotherapy Program?
The term Hippotherapy means treatment with the help of the horse.
A Licensed Physical or Occupational Therapist, certified by the American Hippotherapy Association, uses the horse as a modality; utilizing the natural movement of a horse to help the client improve his/her neurological function, sensory processing, and functional abilities.
What is Freedom Ride's Therapeutic Riding Program?
Freedom Ride currently operates 6 days a week, with group and private classes ranging from 30-45 minutes each. Riders participate in tasks and games that encourage physical strengthening and cognitive improvement, while also learning basic riding skills. All potential riders undergo a comprehensive in-take process that includes completion of registration forms including a physician release form and attending an evaluation.
Exceptional children and adults that would benefit from therapeutic horseback riding or hippotherapy include children and adults who have been diagnosed with spina bifida, developmental disabilities, autism, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities, brain injury, or speech-language disorders to name a few.
Benefits of therapeutic horseback riding include increasing core trunk stability, hand eye coordination, and sequencing skills.
Freedom Ride’s dedicated volunteer team is the backbone of their organization. Volunteers assist with all of Freedom Ride’s daily operations such as assisting with classes, horse care, fundraising events and facility maintenance. All potential volunteers must attend an orientation in compliance with PATH standards. Orientation gives the prospective volunteer an overview of therapeutic horseback riding, the history of our organization, as well as an overview of the volunteer opportunities available.
Freedom Ride needs assistance 7 days a week and operates both mornings and afternoons. For more information on becoming a volunteer, email the Volunteer Coordinator at volunteerinfo@freedomride.com!
Be sure to explore their website here for more information, hours, and location!
Kristen Bencomo, M.A., CCC-SLP
Executive Director and Speech-Language Pathologist
kristen@collaborativecorner.org