Therapeutic Riding

Therapeutic Excellence

At PRDA we strive to provide Therapeutic Riding Services that are second to none, to residence of the Lower Mainland British Columbia. Our team of Staff, Therapeutic Riding Instructors and Equine Facilitated Wellness coaches (EAL) are endlessly curious, innovative, active learners, partnering with each client towards achieving their individual goals. On our beautiful, lift-equipped, accessible property in Langley, BC, we can provide up to 5:1 support for our clients, allowing for full participation in therapeutic riding sessions. PRDA is a Canadian Therapeutic Riding Association(CanTRA) Accredited Centre, abiding by the standards and practices of CanTRA certification.

Individualized Service

Every client at PRDA receives individualized therapeutic riding sessions tailored to their unique abilities, needs and goals. To ensure the diverse needs of our clients are met safely and attentively, we allow for a maximum of two client riders per session.

Children aged 2 to 4, our youngest riders, who have diverse cognitive and/or physical abilities are primarily referred to PRDA from The Centre for Child Development. In accordance with CanTRA guidelines, when providing Therapeutic Riding Services to children 4 years of age and younger, a physiotherapist must be present. Partnering with the physiotherapists at The Centre for Child Development allows PRDA to provide this essential therapeutic service at a critical developmental stage for our youngest clients. Therapeutic riding has a unique ability to promote independent sitting and trunk control, along with social, emotional, and cognitive development benefits. Through the use of games, obstical courses, visual and sound cues we strive to provide a fun, play filled therapeutic environment!

Children and youth ages 5 to 18 thrive in PRDA’s therapeutic riding environment. We count it an honour to support each client on their unique emotional, social, physical and/or cognitive journey. Through a relational, abilities focus approach, riders learn and develop foundational riding and horsemanship skills that strategically target their individual goals and support emotional and social development. As clients riding capacities grow, instruction in para-dressage is used to aid in the therapeutic process. All riders have the opportunity to participate in PRDA’s annual Phae Collin’s Horse Show.

Adults participate in Therapeutic Riding at PRDA for a wide variety of reasons. Some adult riders with diverse cognitive and/or physical abilities have been clients of PRDA since they started their therapeutic riding journey as children, others are brand new to therapeutic riding and reach out to us to support their emotional, social, physical and/or cognitive journeys, and still others come to us for short term rehabilitation support. Whatever the need, PRDA is here to serve each rider's unique needs, in a manner that fits client's current capacity, tailored to help each one achieve their goals towards an enhanced quality of life.

Adaptive Care

On PRDA’s beautiful, fifteen-acre property, in Langley BC we have the facilities, equipment and skills to adapt our Therapeutic Riding Services to meet the needs of our clients now and as they change over time. PRDA’s Therapeutic Riding Instructors actively observe, respond, and adjust services to the presented client need at each ride.

PRDA Facilities include:

2 covered arenas
Accessible property & washrooms
Mechanical lift for transfers
Mounting Ramps and Blocks including wheelchair accessible and mobility limited accessible ramps
Adaptive Tack
15 therapeutic horses, varying in sizes, breed, personality, and abilities

Environments utilized to serve PRDA client’s needs: