Program Information

Program Information

The first step to joining our program is to obtain a physician’s referral. This is to ensure that therapeutic horseback riding would be safe and beneficial. Once the forms are returned and approved, the rider is placed on our waitlist. Currently, our wait time is about one year. Once a spot opens up. the rider and family/support team are invited to come in for an intake session. During this intake, lessons goals, support needs, length and frequency are determined. Lessons usually start right away after that.

Program Costs

Intake session: $105
30-minute session: $80
45-minute session: $115
30-minute semi-private session: $65
45-minute semi-private session: $100
45-minute group lesson: $80

We require a minimum of 24 hours’ notice to cancel lessons. Lessons cancelled with less than 24 hours’ notice will be charged the full lesson fee.

Notice must be received via email to stars@ponies.ca and to your instructor via email or phone.

Funding & Bursaries

It is a goal of STaRS to make its programs accessible for all persons who wish to participate. STaRS recognises that the programming offered may be financially out of reach for some individuals and families. Therefore, STaRS offers a limited bursary program for individuals living with physical, developmental, cognitive and/or mental health challenges where those individuals cannot afford to pay for their sessions and do not receive funding from a third party that could be used for their sessions.

Most of our riders are eligible for funding from various agencies, and we encourage all our riders to explore those avenues, such as The Kinsmen Foundation of BC, Athletics 4 Kids, Janna Epp Bursary, Kid Sport BC, CKNW Kids Fund, and Gizeh Shriners of BC & Yukon.

The amount of the bursary fund varies from year to year and STaRS cannot guarantee that everyone who applies for assistance will receive a bursary.

An individual or family that would like to apply for a bursary should complete and submit the Bursary Application Form and return it to the Program Coordinator by the posted due date. Families with two or more children attending will be considered as one application.