Glade Run Adventures offers year round therapeutic experiences for individuals with mental, emotional and/or physical challenges. Tailored to individual goals, participants of all ages can benefit from these unique interactive animal, horticulture and sensory experiences that promote social emotional learning and healing as well as social skills development. All staff who instruct therapeutic riding lessons are trained through certifying organizations in therapeutic horseback riding and have a minimum of 15 years of horsemanship experience. To learn more about Glade Run Adventures or to schedule a tour, contact Julie Wahlenmayer, Adventures director, at 724-452-4453, ext. 1236. You can also complete our online Service Inquiry Form.
Who To Call
Julie – Contact me for: Any Adventures program questions
Carey – Contact me for: Boarding or Leasing
CAMPS
2024 Camp Dates: Coming Soon!
Cost: $1,400 per two week session
Specialized Adventures is a social skills development camp for individuals ages 8 – 18. Any child in need of social skill development is welcome, however, the camp is specially designed for children with moderate to high functioning Autism Spectrum Disorders. This is not an ESY Camp but may be covered for some school districts as ESY. Specialized Adventures is a Respite Camp – Code W7285. Glade Run Lutheran Services’ Code is: 100754254. If participants are applying for waiver funding, the support coordinator will need to apply via the waiver funding portal. Please see our Specialized Adventures Camp brochure for additional details.
Independent Rider Camps are designed for riders who can independently steer and control their horses at the walk and trot in a group setting. Campers will ride 1 hour per day and spend another hour doing ground work with the horses. Remaining time will be spent learning about other horse related topics (confirmation/horse parts, nutrition, lameness and first aid, competitive disciplines, working with horses) as well as caring for their horse. Camps available include Young Riders (ages 5-10) and Young Adult Riders (ages 18-29). Please see our Independent Rider Camp brochure for additional details, including dates, times, and fees.
THERAPEUTIC RIDING AND LESSONS
| What do we offer? | At the core of what we offer is wellness ~ social, emotional and physical wellness. Our therapeutic programs meet participants exactly where they are, learn where they want to go, and help them to get there through fun and engaging activities with horses, plants, small animals, the natural environment and friends! |
| How do we offer these services? | Glade Run Adventures offers both Individual and Group Lesson Sessions. See below for more detail on each of the lessons offered. Lessons may include therapeutic riding, driving, unmounted and at liberty work, horticultural skills and life skills. |
| Why is Adventures different from other “riding barns”? | We are different, thanks for asking! Adventures is a program of Glade Run Lutheran Services, a large mental health treatment agency with a 168 year history of service. Staff in the Adventures Program have devoted their careers to helping individuals with mental health challenges to grow and learn through partnering with animals and the natural environment. To this end, all of our staff have impressive degrees, certificates, advanced training and years of experience in serving individuals with mental health goals. Check out our staff bio page for more information. |
| Who are these services for? | Adventures Services are for anyone seeking additional support in developing skills of emotional regulation, social engagement, and fun. No diagnosis or referral is needed. Participants aged 5 to 106 are welcome. |
| When are these services offered? | Adventures is a year-round program. Therapeutic Riding and Lessons are offered throughout the school year in eight week sessions with a one week break between sessions. Our sessions follow the school year schedule running from late August through late May. Opportunities to attend unique Adventures camps are also available in the summer. |
| What are upcoming session dates? | Fall Session #1 – August 27 through October 20, 2023 (8 weeks). |
| Staff Qualifications: | Lessons are taught by skilled professionals with certifications and trainings through PATH, Natural Lifesmanship, Masterson Method and more. (See our website for full bios) Our instructors are assisted by safe, well trained equines, small animals and our beautiful facilities and grounds. |
| How to Get Involved: | If you have not already done so, please fill out this form so that we have all of your information. Then you can schedule a tour to gauge your student’s interest and answer all of your questions. Please use this sign up genius to schedule an appointment for a tour. After your tour we will help you enroll your student in a program package for the next available session. |
| Weight Limit: | Glade Run Adventures has a 180 pound weight limit for all mounted activities. We are happy to accommodate heavier participants with unmounted activities such as driving and liberty work as listed above. |
| Are discounts available? | Yes Glade Run is committed to assisting those in need and this includes families in need of financial assistance. Check out our discounted rate and apply here. |
| Cancellations | Adventures may cancel lessons for extreme weather or dangerous road conditions. Participants will be contacted individually in the event of cancellations. If participants need to cancel, you must contact your instructor directly. Contact information is provided during lesson confirmation and is on the dry erase board in the barn. |
PRICING
| Individual Lessons: | 1 person | Amount of time per lesson | Per 8 week Session Cost per person | |
| ALL HORSES! | Wow, horses are amazing helpers! In our All Horses Individual Lessons, participants will start with a free consultation to determine their interests and goals. From there, weekly activities will be tailored to help participants soar towards these goals. Participants may be riding horseback, developing balance, posture, muscle strength and coordination. They may be driving, building skills in sequencing, coordination, memory and self esteem. Through unmounted and liberty work, participants will be learning skills of communication, listening, reading body language, healthy relationships and more. | 30 minutes | $400 | |
| ALL PLANTS! | Plants surround us, providing innumerable opportunities to connect with them to calm our bodies and to build skills that improve confidence and self esteem. In the Therapeutic Horticulture program, students will practice mindfulness, emotional regulation and engage in sensory experiences while spending time in our greenhouse, gardens and the natural environment on our extensive grounds. They will learn about seed starting, propagation, native plants, plant care, insect and disease management, garden design, harvesting, cooking and expressive arts. | 30 minutes | $280 | |
| Small Group Lessons: |
2-4 people | Amount of time per lesson | Per 8 week Session Cost per person | |
| ALL HORSES! | A perfect way to get the benefits of real life learning with horses and peers! Therapeutic riding, driving, at liberty connection work and so much more are included in this group activity for 2-4 participants. | 60 minutes | $550 | |
| ALL PLANTS! | Fun is an essential component of a healthy life. The greenhouse and garden are the perfect place for students to experience fun with friends while learning to make use of nature’s bounty. 2-4 participants at a time. | 60 minutes | $200 | |
| ALL ACCESS – HORSES, PLANTS AND SMALL ANIMALS! | What a way to experience it all – and SAVE money! A group of 2-4 participants in our All Access Small Group [NOTE THIS WAS INDIVIDUAL] Sessions will have all of the opportunities offered in both the animal and horticulture programs. Sessions may include any of the amazing experiences that Adventures offers. | 60 minutes | $400 |
GROUP ACTIVITIES
| Large Groups: | 4-8 people | Amount of time per lesson | Contracted or | |
| GROUP ADVENTURES | What a smorgasboard of experiences Adventures has to offer! Contact us to discuss options to tailor your Group Adventure. Groups may spend time engaged in mounted and unmounted horsemanship activities, learning about our small animals, driving, learning about plants and gardening in on our horticulture program. | 60 min | $175 | |
| WELLNESS WORKSHOPS | Could your group benefit from an hour or two dedicated to improved wellness? | 60 min | $175 | |
| Extra Large Groups: | 8+ people | |||
| GROUP ADVENTURES | What a smorgasboard of experiences Adventures has to offer! Contact us to discuss options to tailor your Group Adventure. Groups may spend time engaged in mounted and unmounted horsemanship activities, learning about our small animals, driving, learning about plants and gardening in on our horticulture program. | 60 min | $175 | |
| TEAM BUILDING | Work with your team to safely connect face-to-face in an innovative, experiential learning environment to develop or advance your team’s leadership skills in a fun, low-risk way proven to be a catalyst for increasing team engagement and productivity. Go beyond teambuilding with relevant leadership development content in areas including self- awareness, strengths-based leadership, trust-building, employee engagement and wellbeing, diversity/inclusion, and more! | 60 min | $175 | |
| THE JOY OF GARDENING | Spend time relaxing and learning – all horticultural supplies included | 60 min | $280 per 8 week session |
MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
| Adventures Mental Health Services FAQ: |
What type of therapy is offered?
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| The mental health professionals in the Adventures program provide the same evidence based treatments that you should expect from any trained therapist. A person centered approach is foundational and therapists may utilize interventions like traditional cognitive therapy (CBT, DBT) along with experiential therapies (equine assisted therapy, play therapy, horticultural therapy). EMDR, an evidence based trauma therapy is also now available through Adventures. What is unique about therapy at Adventures is that therapists incorporate the natural environment and relationships with horses and other animals in the healing and growth process. | ||
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What does it mean to be equine assisted?
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| Partnering with horses provides powerful opportunities for clients to grow. Horses are large, energetic, engaging, constantly communicating and non judgemental. They react and respond to us and to their environment. Partnering with horses assists clients in engaging their whole bodies, tuning in to their relationship and behavioral patterns, increasing effective communication skills, practicing mindfulness and other regulation skills, and integrating new experiences into their lives. This partnership with the horses occurs mainly on the ground, not in the saddle. | ||
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Is equine assisted therapy the same as therapeutic riding?
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| No. Equine assisted therapy is mental health treatment, provided by a trained therapist, focused on mutually agreed upon clinical goals, just as with any other type of outpatient therapy. Therapeutic riding is provided by experienced equine professionals, not trained therapists, and focuses on safely learning horsemanship skills while supporting participants’ mental health needs. | ||
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Will I ride horses during equine therapy?
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| Probably not. Horseback riding is not generally a part of this therapy. It may occur, if clinically appropriate, however, a primary focus of equine assisted therapy is helping clients to develop healthy relationship skills and building relationships takes time. If you are seeking mounted activities, please refer to our therapeutic riding and lessons page. Adventures therapeutic riding and lessons are not covered by insurance. | ||
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Is Adventures trauma focused?
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| Yes. As a Sanctuary certified organization, Glade Run Adventures is committed to ongoing training and service that strives to understand and treat trauma. To begin, Adventures’ natural environments support healing by providing a sense of safety and engagement. Horses share similar neurobiological features with individuals who have experienced trauma and are therefore phenomenal partners in the healing process. EMDR, an evidence based treatment for trauma and anxiety is offered through Adventures individual therapy. |
OPTIONS & PRICING
| Individual Therapy | Adventures has partnered with Glade Run’s Outpatient Program so that individuals can receive insurance-covered therapy, provided by a licensed therapist, that incorporates experiential therapy available in Adventures. Sessions are availalble in 45 minute lessons by contacting jwahlenmayer@gladerun.org. If you are interested in outpatient therapy please email referrals@gladerun.org. Our intake coordinator will assist you with the next steps. | |
| Group Sessions | Currently, group sessions are provided through contracted partnerships with area mental health service agencies. Addictions treatment centers, residential mental health treatment facilities and community mental health groups are all potential partners. Groups run for 2 hours at a time once weekly. Groups are open and up to 10 participants, chosen by the contracted agency, may engage in activities designed to explore therapeutic concepts that are appropriate for the group. Equine experiences explore concepts such as trust, fear, hope, non-verbal communication, relationships, change, uncertainty, the window of tolerance, emotional and physical regulation and more. If you work within a mental health service agency and are interested in group sessions, please email JWahlenmayer@gladerun.org. | 2 hours | $350 | |
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES
Glade Run Adventures proudly supports hands on STEM education for St. Stephen’s Academy, Glade Run’s licensed private K-12 school. For more information about St. Stephen’s, please visit the school page HERE.
Students have the opportunity to learn and grow at Glade Run Adventures with daily classes held in the greenhouse, barn, and outdoor gardens and classrooms.