FAQs
Learn More About The Ranch
Ask Away, We Have Answers!
We have addressed the questions we most frequently receive from clients and families. If your question is not answered here, please contact us – we’re here to help.
Where is Carolina Therapeutic Ranch?
Carolina Therapeutic Ranch (CTR) is located at JF Tuff Stables in Rock Hill, SC. We are conveniently located near Charlotte, Pineville, Monroe, Waxhaw and Gastonia in North Carolina, and Tega Cay, Fort Mill, and Indian Land in South Carolina. Get directions!
When are you open?
The Ranch is open Tuesday through Friday by appointment only.
Is there a minimum and maximum age for hippotherapy?
Clients must be at least two years old to participate in hippotherapy at CTR. While there is no age maximum, clients must weigh less than 100 lbs to receive treatment.
Is there a weight limit?
Yes, clients must weigh less than 100 lbs to receive treatment. This is to protect the health and well being of each horse, who can safely carry 10% to 15% of their body weight.
How long is each session?
Weekly sessions are one hour. About half of that time will be spent on horseback in the arena or on a trail ride, or both. The other half of the session takes place in the barn where clients practice traditional and out-of-the-box therapeutic techniques, such as using manipulatives, sweeping, or brushing a horse.
What is hippotherapy?
Hippotherapy is Speech, Physical, and/or Occupational Therapy on horseback. The horse is used as a dynamic tool during the therapy session.
What’s the difference between hippotherapy and therapeutic riding?
| Hippotherapy | Therapeutic Riding |
|---|---|
| The goal of hippotherapy is to bolster the therapeutic outcomes of Speech, Physical, and/or Occupational Therapy. | The goal of therapeutic riding is to improve overall well being through horseback riding lessons, often accomplished with adaptive equipment. |
| Participants sit on a saddle pad to provide maximal connectivity with the horse. | Participants sit in a saddle with their feet in the stirrups and reins in hand. |
| Hippotherapy sessions are strategically designed to yield specific gains in physical, social, emotional, sensory, and cognitive skills. | Therapeutic riding sessions yield an increase in physical, social, emotional, sensory, and cognitive skills as a byproduct of the lesson. |
Who can participate in hippotherapy?
To be eligible for services, children ages 2+ must qualify for Speech, Physical, and/or Occupational Therapy and complete an intake assessment by a Carolina Therapeutics clinician.
How much does hippotherapy cost?
Many health insurance companies provide coverage for Speech, Physical, and Occupational Therapy. Families are responsible for any applicable copays and deductibles. A $30 materials fee is due for each hippotherapy session from non-Medicaid clients; for Medicaid clients, the fee is $5 per hippotherapy session.
What happens during a typical hippotherapy session?
There is no such thing as a “typical” hippotherapy session. Every hour-long session is individualized for each client. The first half of a session takes place on horseback; the second half is usually done in the barn, off the horse.
How long will my child participate in hippotherapy?
Every client is different. Some participate in hippotherapy for a matter of months, others are with us indefinitely. We custom-create individualized treatment plans for each client. You can monitor your child’s activity and progress through our patient portal, ClinicSource.
Can I watch my child during their therapy session?
Family members are welcome to join their child at the Ranch during their initial session to meet our clinicians and horses, and to become acclimated with hippotherapy. For subsequent sessions, we ask that only the child be in the barn so that their focus is on their therapeutic clinicians. Parents and family members are welcome to watch their child from a designated spot while they are on horseback in the arena.
My child seems scared, what do I do?
It’s natural to be anxious in the presence of new sights, sounds, smells, and sensations. We work with your child as an individual, progressing through therapeutic interventions at their pace. Typically, children are anxious or have separation anxiety for the first two or three sessions. Thereafter, they love hippotherapy!
Who is with my child during their therapy session?
At least three adults will be with your child while they are on horseback. An AHCB (American Hippotherapy Certification Board) Therapist and Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) will be with them at all times, as well as either a Physical Therapist (PT/PTA) or Speech Language Pathologist (SLP), and a horse leader.
What should my child wear to the Ranch?
Your child should wear comfortable clothes, including long pants. Leggings, jeans, and athletic clothing is ideal. Closed toed shoes are mandatory. In warmer weather, please apply sunscreen to your child ahead of their therapy session.
Do you provide helmets?
Yes, we have helmets at the Ranch and welcome clients to bring their own, if preferred. Snug-fitting bicycle helmets are fine.
What kind of saddles do you use?
We don’t use any! To yield maximal benefit from hippotherapy, horse and rider must be in tune with one another. Clients sit (or stand or lay!) on a saddle pad during their session.
Can I cancel my session?
As a courtesy to our clinicians and other client families, please cancel your session at least 24 hours in advance should you need to do so. The Carolina Therapeutics, PLLC Therapy Attendance & Cancellation Policy applies to all clients of Carolina Therapeutic Ranch and session cancellations in violation of that policy can result in a client being discharged from CTR services.
What if the weather is bad?
We continue with therapy, rain or shine. If the weather is unfavorable for outdoor activities, we conduct Speech, Physical, and/or Occupational Therapy in the barn only. In the event that schools are closed due to bad weather, we will cancel hippotherapy sessions.
Can my child take riding lessons at the Ranch?
No, Carolina Therapeutic Ranch is a therapy-only operation. Our horses are working therapy horses and are not ridden by clients for recreation or instruction.
