Horseback riding

Listing: Animal Service and Animal Assisted Therapy Organizations

Media Type

Online Resource

Reviewed Date

Jul 8, 2025

Body

Service animals are often used to aid people with physical disabilities in activities at home, work, and play. Animals can also be a therapy tool to help individuals heal their mind and body. Service/Guide animals aid individuals with disabilities with daily tasks. This can help alleviate stress and foster a sense of independence.

Animal assisted therapy aids individuals with disabilities with mental and health therapy. Certified therapy dogs can provide interactive exercises designed to accomplish therapeutic goals. Using horses as part of therapy is called hippotherapy or therapeutic riding. This type of therapy has been shown to improve balance, posture, mobility, function, and emotional well being.
 

Service Dogs - Canine Companions:

Canine Therapy Corps (formerly Chenny Troupe):
3918 W Fullerton Ave,
Chicago, IL 60647
773.404.6467
Certified therapy dogs and volunteer handlers are teamed with medical professionals at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and halfway houses in the Chicago area to provide animal assisted therapy. Volunteers with or without dogs are welcomed.

Canine Companions for Independence
Chicago Satellite Office
PO Box 41
Woodstock, IL 60098
https://www.cci.org/
847.816.7360   

Committed Canine, Inc.
RR1 Box 114
Brownstown, IL 62418
http://committedcanine.org/
618.427.3333
tammie@committedcanine.org
Areas served: National

Dogs For Disabilities
Dan & Sue Wasilas
PO Box 537
Batavia, IL 60510
630.879.9561 
630.406.6373  
info@dogsfordisabilities.com
Areas served: IL & Southern WI

Dynamic Dogs Training & Behavior
Jennifer N. Hack CPDT
Chicago, IL
312.339.4562
Types of dogs trained: Psychiatric Support, Therapy

Heartland Service Dogs
Linda Fox
11315 192nd St.
Mokena, IL 60448
http://www.heartlandservicedogs.org/
815.651.4327 
HeartlandSvcDog@yahoo.com
Areas served: Illinois and Midwest States

Illini Service Dogs
Trained service dogs for free adoption to people with a physical disability across the United States.
1206 S. 4th St
Champaign, IL 61820 
https://www.illiniservicedogs.com/
contactus@illinidogs.com

MidAmerica Service Dogs
7420 S. County Line Rd., Ste. 8
Burr Ridge, IL. 60527
https://www.midamericaservicedogs.com/
info@midamericaservicedogs.com    
866.4PAWS.44
Serving Chicago metropolitan and suburban areas.  

Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy in IL
6042 W Oakton Street
Morton Grove, IL 60053
Phone: 773.283.1129
Classes for training people and animals to be animal assisted therapy partners.

Sit Service Dogs
Lex Dietz
519 Kilpatrick Rd.
Ava, IL 62907
618.571.4355 
https://www.sitservicedogs.com/
ldietz@sitservicedogs.com
Areas served: National

National Canine Resources:

4 Paws for Ability
253 Dayton Avenue
Xenia, Ohio 45385
937.374.0385
Service dogs to assist with mobility, hearing, seizures, autism, companionship and emotional assistance.

Canine Companions for Independence North Central Regional Center
PO Box 446
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0446
866.224.3647
Trained assistance dogs for individuals and facility dogs for professionals.

Canine Partners for Life
334 Faggs Manor Road
Cochranville, PA 19330
610.869.4902
Canine Partners for Life provides service and home companion dogs for individuals with mobility impairments, seizure disorders, and other disabilities so they can lead more independent and fulfilling lives. 

Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
371 East Jericho Turnpike
Smithtown, NY 11787-2976
800.548.4337
Guide dog services to people with visual or hearing impairments who seek enhanced mobility and independence.

Paws With A Cause
4646 S. Division
Wayland, MI 49348
800.253.7297
Assistance dogs for people with disabilities.

Pet Partners
875 124th Avenue NE #101
Bellevue, WA 98005
425.679.5500
Dog service resources including assistance for people with disabilities who have service dogs to overcome barriers in their environments and achieve greater independence and realization of goals.

Willing Partners Canine Education
Linda Krutsinger
607 North 10th Street
Benton, IL 62812
618.525.7387
 juneau@shawneelink.net
Areas Served: Southern IL

Snowy Pines White Labs
200 Morris Ave
Batesville, AR 72501
https://www.snowypineswhitelabs.com/our-process/ 
870-805-6039
puppies@snowypineswhitelabs.com  
 

Horses:

American Hippotherapy Association, Inc.
PO Box 2014
Fort Collins, CO 80522
970.818.1322
Promotes research, education, and communication among therapists and others using horses.

BraveHearts Therapeutic Riding and Educational Center
7319 Maxon Road
Havard, Illinois 60033
815.943.8226
BraveHearts, an indoor riding facility, offers hippotherapy with physical, speech and occupational therapists available onsite.

Equestrian Connection
600 N. Bradley Road
Lake Forest, Illinois 60045
847-615-8696
Equestrian Connections has helped children and adults with special needs and their family members. Professional licensed therapists, social workers, therapeutic riding instructors, and well trained volunteers.  Financial assistance is reviewed case by case

Holistic Riding Equestrian Therapy
630.878.8096
Lemont,IL
 

PATH International
PO Box 33150
Denver, CO 80233
800-369-7433
Therapeutic horseback riding programs in the US and Canada.

Partners for Progress NFP Therapeutic Riding Center
23525 W. Milton Road
Wauconda, IL 60084
https://partnersforprogressnfp.org/
847.438.5400

Monkeys:

Helping Hands
541 Cambridge Street
Boston, MA 02134
617.787.4419
Trained capuchin monkeys to help people who have severe mobility impairments. Monkey helpers perform simple, everyday tasks, such as getting something to eat or drink, retrieving dropped or out of reach items, and turning on lights.

 

You May Also Be Interested in:
Service Animals - Understanding the laws

 


 

This content is for informational purposes only and may not be comprehensive. Information contained does not imply an endorsement from Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, and does not replace the advice of a qualified healthcare professional.  See https://www.sralab.org/website-disclaimer  for further details.
© Shirley Ryan AbilityLab (formerly Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago)
Henry B. Betts LIFE Center – (312) 238-5433

 

 

Latest Updates

view all