Physical and Occupational Therapy with Horsepower

The Children's TherAplay Foundation is one of the few clinics in the country dedicated to providing physical and occupational therapies on horseback for children with diagnoses such as cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorders, traumatic brain injury, and developmental delay.

Our therapists combine a sensory-rich, child-centered clinic with hippotherapy – a treatment strategy incorporating the movement of horses – to provide carefully graded motor, sensory, and neurological input.

Therapies Meet the kiddos Get involved

What is hippotherapy?

Derived from the Greek word for horse, hippos, hippotherapy is the purposeful application of equine movement by a licensed and specially-trained physical, occupational, or speech therapist.

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Who do we serve?

We provide individualized, one-on-one physical and occupational therapy in our clinic and on horseback for Central Indiana children, ages 18 months to 13 years, who have special needs.

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Beginning treatment

Wondering if treatment at Children’s TherAplay is a good fit for your child? Check out our program parameters, in-network health insurance carriers, and steps to patient referral.

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Children’s TherAplay has done so much for Austin that traditional therapies were not able to accomplish. ...
We owe Children’s TherAplay so much for expanding our son's quality of life.
– Austin's mother, Laura

Meet Austin and his kiddo colleagues

Success Story: Meet Austin

Children's TherAplay has been an amazing tool for Laila's success!
... We definitely consider physical therapy and hippotherapy at Children's TherAplay to be a blessing!
– Laila's mother, Victoria

Laila's come so far!

Success Story: Meet Kiddo Laila

As Brayden’s riding the horse, the horse’s movement helps mimic the human gait and the weight-shifting patterns that he needs to learn to better walk on his own and [it] builds up that core muscle strength.
– Brayden's father, Todd

Cheer Brayden on!

Success Story: Meet Brayden

750+
Treatments per month

13
Therapy horses

Top 5%
of United Way partner agencies

$81
of each treatment funded by donations

Your support makes it possible

Each treatment costs Children’s TherAplay $182; however, the average health insurance reimbursement is only $101. Your contribution helps close that $81 per-treatment gap and ensure that children with special needs continue to have access to these life-changing therapies for years to come.