The horse's natural behaviors and responses can provide valuable insights into the client's emotions, behaviors, and relationships. 

A good therapeutic riding horse needs to be extremely calm, patient, and tolerant.  They must have a reliable temperament, able to handle uneven weight distribution from ridings with disabilities, have smooth gait and be well-trained .  They should be comfortable with sudden noises, changes in balance, and a variety of people around them while remaining undisturbed by unexpected movement from the rider.  

Before a potential therapy horse is accepted into the program, he competes a trial period of 30 days where is exposed to all of the things and his response is evaluated.  A horse that does not "take it in stride" is probably not going to be suitable.

Any breed can make a good therapy horse provided it possesses the right temperament and training.  The key is to evaluate each horse as an individual and consider its suitability for the specific therapeutic program.

A safe horse is a sound horse.  If a horse is in pain due to ill-fitting tack, a heavy rider, arthritis, sore feet or any other reason, his behavior may become unpredictable.  It's not fair to the horse to make him work in this demanding setting if he is uncomfortable.

The welfare of the horse is of utmost importance.   Paying attention to what the horse is trying to communicate is helpful both to prevent burnout for horses and in determining  when they are ready to be retired.  Therapy horses are allowed to continue with their work as long as they remain sound physically, mentally, and are happy in their work.

Our CTRI considers both the rider and the horses when selecting a horse for participants.  We strive to make participant and equine pairs that achieve goals and build confidence.  As the participant learns and grows we may transition to a different horse to facilitate continued growth and confidence.  We welcome your thoughts and preferences, however Hooves of Joy reserves the right to make the final choice for the participants safety and success.

Many people who are initially scared of horses find that their fear diminishes as they become more comfortable with the horses.  CTRI's are trained to work with individuals who have a fear of horses and can help them gradually build confidence.

No. The CTRI works with the participants familiarity and comfortability with horses.  A participant may start out focusing on groundwork activities:  grooming, tacking, leading, and caring for the needs of the horse.

While generally safe, there are some inherent risks associated with working with large animals, such as the possibility of falls or injuries.  Having certified therapeutic riding instructors(CRTI) minimizes the risks. 

Therapeutic horses receive regular care, including feeding, grooming, and exercise, which can also be a therapeutic activity in itself.