Health Directed Riding is a private, non-profit organization which was formed under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
We are always in need of volunteers. If you have the time and are interested please contact us at: 612-247-9582 or healthdirectedriding@gmail.com.
What is Health Directed Riding?
In the spring of 1995 Kandy Moen, Past President of Health Dimensions Rehabilitation, Pediatric clinic in Cambridge MN along with Jan Dahl MA, PT discussed the benefits of therapeutic riding and their mutual desire to establish a program to serve East Central Minnesota. In 1996, Health Directed Riding became a member-operating center of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) now know as PATH International ( Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) and also received their 501(c)(3) non-profit status.
Our first riders came from the pediatric clinic began riding in August of 1995.
Horses were trailered to the Isanti County Fairgrounds each day the program was in operation. In July of 1996 the program moved to Pinesong Ranch in Grandy, MN when the owner discovered the program and offered her facilities and horses to the program.
In 1996 the program incorporated occupational therapy and speech pediatric and clinic clients. In September of that year a NARHA registered instructor with ten years of experience in therapeutic riding joined the staff of HDRide. The addition of another instructor allowed the program to expand services to include therapeutic riding. Jan Dahl a registered therapist with NARHA also earned her certification as a NARHA registered instructor in October of that year and began mentoring Rhonda Mostrom, LPTA.
Health Directed Riding continued to operate at Pinesong Ranch until the 2001 riding season when the program was relocated to Hiddenbrook Farm The 2003 riding season found HDR back at Pat Rehbein’s Pinesong Ranch in Grandy sharing her love of horses and children and the incredible effect the two can have on ones life.
In 2001 Rhonda became a registered therapist with NARHA and began working on her instructor certification. Also in that year the focus of HDRide became Therapeutic Riding instead of Hippotherapy. Rhonda volunteered for several years, working with Jan and the children, learning the riding program and in the clinical setting in town. Rhonda Mostrom earned her certification as a NARHA certified riding instructor in the fall of 2003 and became the program’s lead instructor.
PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship)
PATH International (previously known as North American Riding for the Handicapped Association), founded in 1969, is a non-profit, membership organization that fosters safe, professional, ethical and therapeutic equine assisted activities through education, communication, standards and research for people with and without disabilities. Their purpose is to promote the rehabilitation of individuals with physical, psychological and learning disabilities through equine-facilitated activities as to help establish therapeutic riding centers; support related medical research; and train and cerify therapeutic riding instructors and provide affordable liability insurance. Currently there are over 550 operating centeris in forty-eight states, Canada and growing internationally. In 2011 NARHA officially changed their name to PATH (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship) International.
In 2016 Pat Rehbein retired and the program moved away from Pinesong Ranch and is operating out of two facilities, one in Isanti and one in Princeton, both facilities are owned by supporters/volunteers of the program.
The activities of Health Directed Riding are governed by its Board of Directors. Board members serve on a volunteer basis and receive no compensation for their services. We have received tremendous response to our request for volunteers and many of the daily program activities are staffed by volunteers from the local community. Volunteers receive formal training prior to participating in the program.