Occupational Therapy

Supporting Regulation, Confidence, & Functional Development Through Movement & Nature

At Ridgebury Farm, Occupational Therapy combines evidence-based therapeutic approaches with hippotherapy and nature-based experiences to support each client’s ability to participate more fully in daily life. Sessions are individualized to help develop regulation, coordination, attention, motor planning, confidence, sensory processing, and social-emotional skills through meaningful, engaging experiences both on and off the horse.

How It Works

Hippotherapy

Utilizing the horse’s multidimensional, rhythmic movement as a treatment tool, hippotherapy can support sensory integration, postural control, balance, coordination, motor planning, attention, and emotional regulation in a highly motivating environment.
 

Nature-Based Therapy

Natural environments provide dynamic sensory experiences and opportunities for whole-body movement that foster self-regulation, strength, coordination, problem-solving, confidence, and social-emotional growth through exploration and connection with the outdoors.
 

Individualized Care

Each therapy session is thoughtfully tailored to a client’s strengths, developmental needs, and functional goals by licensed occupational therapists using a relationship-based, client-centered approach.
 

Clinical Perspective

Nature-Based Occupational Therapy utilizes the natural environment as a therapeutic setting where sensory input is varied, meaningful, and constantly changing. Unlike traditional clinic settings, outdoor and farm-based environments naturally encourage movement, exploration, problem-solving, emotional regulation, motor planning, and social engagement through authentic experiences and purposeful activity.
 

Hippotherapy incorporates the horse’s movement within occupational therapy treatment to support functional outcomes. The horse provides rhythmic, repetitive, and multidimensional movement that delivers continuous sensory and motor input to the rider. This movement may assist with postural control, balance, coordination, bilateral integration, attention, sensory processing, body awareness, and executive functioning skills.
 

Mounted and unmounted interactions with the horses — including grooming, leading, caring for, and connecting with the animals — further support emotional awareness, self-confidence, empathy, responsibility, and relationship-building. The inherently motivating nature of the farm environment often increases engagement and participation for many clients.
 

Emerging research continues to support the therapeutic value of equine-assisted and nature-based interventions. Recent studies have demonstrated improvements in executive functioning, behavioral regulation, mobility, communication, interpersonal relationships, and participation in daily activities among children participating in equine-assisted occupational therapy interventions.
 

Children often make meaningful progress when therapy occurs in rich, real-world environments. The movement of the horse and the sensory experiences available in nature create therapeutic opportunities that cannot easily be replicated in traditional clinical settings.
 

Areas We May Address

• Sensory processing & regulation

• Fine motor & gross motor skills

• Balance & coordination

• Motor planning

• Executive functioning

• Attention & sustained engagement

• Emotional regulation

• Social-emotional development

• Self-confidence & independence

• Functional daily living skills
   

Interested in learning whether Occupational Therapy at Ridgebury Farm may be a good fit for your child? Contact us to learn more about our individualized approach.