OUR PURPOSE
A non-profit affiliate of Challenge Unlimited, Ironstone Therapy employs licensed professional physical and occupational therapists and speech/language pathologists who provide therapeutic intervention for more than 150 individuals weekly. Ironstone Therapy works under a Management Agreement for the use of Challenge Unlimited’s horses, facility and staff expertise. The administrative and professional staffs of both organizations work together to best address the needs of each individual.

The Therapy
Hippotherapy is defined as “therapy using the movement of the horse”, which is the primary purpose of the Ironstone Therapy program. For a person straddling a walking horse, the movement created within the person is almost the same as the normal walking movement. This means that a person with abnormal walking movement can realize the physical benefits of walking simply by riding a horse. Ironstone’s therapists use this unique motion to help clients improve balance and coordination, increase muscle tone, and make gains in strength and stamina – all of which are difficult to achieve in the classroom or clinic. For the client therapy is effective and fun.

Referral, Documentation and Progression
Ninety percent of Ironstone Therapy’s clients are children who are referred by physicians, Early Intervention programs, public schools and word of mouth. Following referral, a therapy evaluation is conducted and a plan of care determined. Progress is carefully monitored, documented and sent to the referring physician or agency monthly. If a child achieves predetermined goals, recommendations are made for more extensive therapy or discharge, in which case the decision can be made for the client to continue riding horses as a recreational therapy in the Challenge Unlimited program.
IT Forms and Information Packet

Early Intervention
Ironstone Therapy contracts with nine Early Intervention programs throughout the Merrimack Valley, Greater Boston and the North Shore of Massachusetts. Early Intervention, funded by the Department of Public Health (DPH), provides a variety of services for children from birth to three years of age who are diagnosed with disability. Parent driven, the request that hippotherapy be provided by Early Intervention was approved by DPH in 2001. Today children are referred to Ironstone Therapy as young as nine months of age so they can get the beneficial movement of the horse at this critical stage of development.

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Challenge Unlimited at Ironstone Farm - 450 Lowell Street - Andover, MA 01810        978-475-4056         Fax 978-475-4046

E-mail: Info@ChallengeUnlimited.org