Quick Facts about Project R.I.D.E., Inc.

Topic 1: What is Project R.I.D.E.?

Q: What is Project R.I.D.E. Inc.?
A: We provide recreational therapeutic horseback riding lessons to students with disabilities.
Q: What does R.I.D.E. stand for?
A: Riding Instruction Designed for Education!
Q: How long have you been doing this?
A: Project R.I.D.E. Inc. started in 1979.
Q: Where are you located? Where do your students come from?
A: We are located in Elk Grove, California, south of Sacramento. Our students reside all over the metropolitan Sacramento area and as far away as Stockton and the Delta.
Q: Is there just one Project R.I.D.E? Who oversees you?
A: We are governed by a volunteer Board of Directors who are business owners and community leaders who graciously donate their time to us. Project R.I.D.E. is one of many therapeutic riding centers in the US and around the world. We are recognized and accredited through PATH International, which trains and oversees instructors and operations of therapeutic riding centers across the United States. We are proud to be a Premier Accredited Center, denoting the highest level of safety and quality within the standards of therapeutic horseback riding. Our most recent accreditation was in September 2012.

Topic 2: Project R.I.D.E. Students and Services

Q: How many students do you have? Are you taking more?
A: We are currently riding 540 students with a waiting list. We are accepting new entries on our wait list. Contact us today to get onto our waiting list!
Q: How old are your students? Do you only serve children?
A: Students begin riding at age 3 and we have served clients as old as 92.
Q: What kind of clients do you serve?
A: We have clients with various special needs including, but not limited to: Down Syndrome, Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Developmental Delays; Victims of stroke, injury and accident; Hearing Impairment and Visual Impairment; Paralysis; Shaken Baby Syndrome, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and many more disorders, syndromes, and physical and mental challenges.
Q: What happens in your lessons? Is this just a pony ride?
A: We differ from other therapeutic centers in that through a series of games and activities, students are taught academic skills including number sequencing, alphabet, shapes, colors, directions and more. We work hard on confidence building, self esteem improvement and socialization skills as well as physical skills like balance, coordination and flexibility.
Q: How much are your lessons? Who pays for them?
A: Lessons occur in sessions ranging from 4 weeks to 12 weeks. They range from thirty minutes to one hour and our tuition is $35 per half-hour lesson. Many of our students formerly received their therapy as a benefit through the Alta California Regional Center, which handles benefits for those with special needs, disabilities and challenges. When Governor Schwarzenegger signed into law an amendment to the Lanterman Act on July 31, 2009 disallowing funding for any recreational, educational or non-medical therapies, this funding source was completely eliminated.
Q: How do I sign a student up to receive your lessons?
A: Please call us at (916) 685-RIDE or email us from our contact page to place a potential student on our waiting list. We will need the student’s diagnosis, date of birth, weight and other personal information at that time, so please have that information handy when you call.

Topic 3: How you can get involved

Q: Do you need volunteers?
A: YES!
Q: What do volunteers do at Project R.I.D.E.?
A: Please see the “Volunteer” section of this website for a detailed answer to this question.
Q: Do you need donations of money, equipment or horses? A: YES!! Q: How can I help?
A: Please visit the “Give” section of this website where you can learn about opportunities to volunteer your time or support our program with financial or in-kind donations and bequests.
Q: Your wait list seems so long. Are you working to reduce the wait?
A: Our biggest challenge to growth to serve all the potential clients on our wait list is financial support to grow our facilities and garnering volunteer support to keep the children safe during their riding lesson. You can help! Please visit the “Give” section of this website to find out more.

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Got a question that wasn’t answered here? Contact us now and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.