Clients:

1. How long is a session of riding? 8 weeks.  If there is a cancelled class (due to weather or instructor absence, NOT for client misses) there is one available make up week scheduled.
2. How long is one class? 45 minutes for therapeutic riding, 30 minutes for early childhood and one hour for hippotherapy
3. When do the sessions occur? Session I is in the winter at Yellow Farm only (not in 2013, would usually go Jan-Mar), Session II is the spring session (March-May) Session III is the summer session (June – August) and session IV is the fall session (August – October).
4. What happens if the client misses a class? There is no make-up class for individual absences
5. What happens if We Can Ride cancels a class? There is a scheduled make-up class during the 9th week of the session.  If WCR cancels 2 classes, the second class is refunded.
6. How much is a session of therapeutic riding? $360.
7. How much is a session of Hippo? $1,280.  (hippo is billed in 15 minute “units” – so if a rider cannot tolerate a full hour, they are billed for whatever time they use)
8. What is the difference between therapeutic riding and Hippotherapy? Therapeutic riding is taught by certified instructor and is a group class up to four riders; hippotherapy is one-on-one with a licensed therapist.
9. My rider participated in therapeutic riding until a therapist and instructor recommended hippotherapy for us.  Why is that? Hippotherapy allows for a therapist to work one-on-one with the client and to set specific goals based on the client’s needs. Each individual case has its own reasoning for recommendation.
10. What is the deal with the waiting list? How do I get on?  How do I get off? How long is a typical waiting period? A client can get placed on the waiting list by getting their client registration to the We Can Ride office. In order to get off the waiting list you will be called by the client coordinator to schedule a screening with a therapist. If therapeutic riding is appropriate, the client will then be placed in a class. The wait depends on what the clients preferred site is, their availability, and the best client mix for the rider.
11. How many 8-week sessions can I ride in? We allow individuals to be signed up for two sessions per year. If there is an opening that cannot be filled by a person on the waiting list, you will have the opportunity to sign up for a third session.
12. What disabilities can participate? Any disability can participate.
13. What is a common reason a rider would not be able to participate? For safety purposes We Can Ride has a weight limit of 180#. There is also a possibility that the individual may have a disability that is too severe which could result in riding being an unsafe activity for the client.
14. What if I have concerns about my rider’s participation in class? Who do I talk to? If you are concerned please call the office and speak with the client coordinator.
15. I’ve heard We Can Ride has many locations.  What are they? We Can Ride has three locations currently located in Marine on St. Croix, Minnetonka and New Germany.
16. What is the typical format of a therapeutic riding class? The beginning 10 minutes or so of riding is set aside for warm-ups and stretching, followed by a skill being taught or reviewed and a game or trail ride bring up the end of class before dismounting.
17. What is the typical format of a Hippotherapy class? The session begins with stretching or warm-ups, followed by a specific task the therapist has set out. The session ends with a cool down.
18. What are the other costs of the program? A screening with the therapist is $40 (one time fee) the membership is a yearly fee of $30.
19. Why is there a membership fee? The membership fee covers administrative expenses.
20. Does insurance pay for therapeutic riding? Insurance does not pay for therapeutic riding as it is a recreational activity, not unlike Special Olympics.
21. Does insurance pay for hippotherapy? Depending on what insurance company you     have, they may pay for Hippotherapy. Check with your individual companies.  WCR does not offer third-party billing, so submission of charges and reimbursement is the responsibility of the clients.
22. Are WCR’s fees paid out of pocket by the family? The family is responsible for payment of fees, however, waivered services such as the CADY waiver typically pay for therapeutic riding or hippotherapy. Check with your county’s social services office for information. We Can Ride has limited scholarship funds available to riders in need of financial assistance. This scholarship is based on the poverty line and income of the client/client’s family.   It typically covers half of the riding costs or less. Contact the We Can Ride office to get the scholarship form.
23. When will I know if I have received the scholarship from We Can Ride? Once we have received the form it will be processed by our executive director and finance manager. The amount paid by the scholarship will be reflected in the invoice for the session. If you need to know more quickly, please contact the finance manager at We Can Ride.
24. What goes on at a client screening? The client and family will meet with the client coordinator and therapist to discuss goals, diagnosis, and ride “Peggy” (our wooden simulation of a horse) to establish best class fit.
25. What do I need to bring to the client screening? The client paperwork (available on our website or by calling the Client Coordinator)
26. When will I know if the client has been accepted into We Can Ride? After the client screening the client coordinator and therapist will establish what kind of class is best. If the client is not an appropriate candidate for riding the therapist will then discuss the reasoning with the parent/client.
27. Can my client ride if they are in a wheel chair? Typically yes. We Can Ride is equipped with a lift to reach the optimum height for placing the client on the horse. If there are other contraindications to riding (i.e. weight of rider, flexibility of rider, head and neck control), We Can Ride may not accept a potential rider into the program.
28. Can I sign the medical history form? The medical history form must be signed by a clinician (Doctor or nurse practitioner).
29. What are the forms that need to be filled out to get on the waiting list? The “New” client registration.
30. How many forms do I need to fill out? Typically four. Registration, Liability, Emergency Medical, and Medical History. Specialty forms are Down syndrome, Seizure and Spina Bifida.
31. How much does a helmet cost? Between $40 and $60 depending on the brand.
32. What kind of helmet do I need? An ASTM-SEI certified helmet.
33. Where can I buy a riding helmet? We recommend Schatzlein Saddle Shop on Lake Street in the Uptown neighborhood of Minneapolis. Schatzlein will give a 10% discount and help you fit the helmet correctly.
34. Why can’t I ride in a bike or other sport helmet? Horseback riding helmets are specifically designed to protect the back of the head, which is the most commonly injured area during a fall from a horse.  Other sport helmets are designed to compensate for the kind of impact most commonly experienced (i.e. bike helmets have most protection on the front and sides).
35. What kind of training do the riding instructors have? PATH Intl, has certified all instructors to be proficient in teaching, which means they have gone through an extensive training and testing process approved by PATH.  Many of our instructors ride competitively, and all have extensive experience riding and training horses in a variety of disciplines.
36. How does We Can Ride keep track of rider progress? Instructors write rider assessments for the client, which are then placed in the client’s file and sent to the family at the close of each riding session.
37. How do I know that the horses are safe for the client to ride? Each horse that is accepted into our program has been rigorously trained by staff and volunteers to be prepared for situations that may occur during a client session. Although we have done our best at this training, nothing guarantees an unexpected situation won’t occur; horses are unpredictable.
38. How do I know the rider will be safe? Trained volunteers are present to help the rider in any way, including keeping them safe. 1-2 sidewalkers that have been trained in emergency dismounting procedures are provided as well as a horse leader.