Absentee/Attendance Policy:

If you cannot attend a lesson, you MUST REPORT YOUR ABSENCE

  • If you are reporting an absence 24 hours or more advance, you may “Decline” the lesson in  BetterImpact, our Participant Portal—OR—email rider@therapeuticridinginc.org with the date(s) you will be absent.

  • If you are reporting an absence within 24 hours of your scheduled lesson, you MUST call 734-677-0303 and LEAVE A VOICEMAIL on the “Absent/Delayed” Extension #1. The voicemail should clearly state your name and the class day & time that you will miss.

We will consider you “Absent” if you have followed the notification procedures outlined above. Otherwise, we will consider you a “No-Show.” “No-Shows” result in:

  1. Decrease in recruiting and retaining volunteers.

  2. Unnecessary grooming, tacking and untacking of our horses.

  3. Inefficient use of staff and volunteers.

We understand emergencies do happen. In the case of an emergency, you must follow up regarding your absence within 48 hours after your scheduled lesson to negate a “No-Show.” 

Consequences—failure to follow these attendance requirements WILL RESULT IN DISMISSAL from the program:

  1. 5 or more absences within a single semester, without a documented medical reason.

  2. Deliberately missing ground lessons.

  3. ONE “No-show,” without follow-up within 48 hours. 

Participant Status Policy:

Active Status

  • A participant is considered to have Active Status if he/she is medically safe to ride, submits annual form renewals by posted deadlines, and rides on a consistent basis, as determined by the Head Instructor. To maintain Active Status, participants must also submit payments by the posted deadlines. 

Inactive Status

  • If a participant fails to meet the requirements of Active Status, he or she will will be placed on Inactive Status.

    • One email will be sent to alert the participant that this is about to take place to give him/her an opportunity to resolve the situation.

  • A participant can also request to be placed on Inactive Status for medical or other reasons.  This status change would be at the discretion of the Program Director and/or Head Instructor.

    • participant forms will need to be updated prior to the participant being returned to Active Status.

Removal from Program

  • If a participant does not resolve the situation which resulted in Inactive Status, one email will be sent to alert the participant that he/she is no longer an Active participant in the program and that, if he/she wishes to return to TRI, he/she will need to apply to the pool of applicants.  


The Head Instructor or Program Director may allow a one-time exception to this policy, provided the rider makes a written request. Program Director and/or Head Instructor have the discretion to make exceptions to this policy. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that Inactive participants do not take up slots that could otherwise be filled by a waiting applicants.  The emails are a courtesy to the participants to ensure that they are aware of the consequences of missing forms and/or sessions and are not surprised when they are removed from Active Status.


Other Participant Policies:

Conduct Review Policy

Allegations of misconduct by participants/volunteers/staff, including but not limited to, inappropriate and /or abusive behavior toward others, failure to follow established safety procedures, incidents due to the use of drugs or alcohol, and mistreatment/abuse of equines and other animals at Therapeutic Riding, Inc. will be evaluated.  Decisions will be made on appropriate action to be taken by (in this order):

  1. Instructor relevant to occurrence

  2. Volunteer Coordinator

  3. Executive Director


Weight Limit Policy

For mounted activities, our weight limit is 200 pounds—dependent upon ambulatory status, range of motion, and discretion of instructor. The Program Director and/or Head Instructor have the discretion to make exceptions to this policy. This policy in place to:

  • Ensure participant & volunteer safety

  • Maintain the health & safety of our horses.


Confidentiality Policy

TRI shall preserve the right of confidentiality for all individuals (volunteers, participants, and staff) in its program.  As a volunteer, participant, or staff member, you must maintain the confidentiality of sensitive information regardless of how it is obtained.  Information which must be kept confidential should include, but not be limited to, all medical, social, referral, personal, and financial information regarding a person and his/her family.  Breach of this confidentiality may result in either reprimand and/or loss of staff job and/or volunteer position.