Our Mission
Green Hill Therapy is dedicated to helping children reach their full potential. Our children come to play and they leave with the abilities and confidence to do so much more. We use hippotherapy and aquatherapy to enhance our outpatient occupational, physical and speech therapy services. Our licensed therapists use equine movement in addition to other therapy tools to address each child’s unique sensory, physical, cognitive and behavioral needs.
Our History
Green Hill Therapy was founded in Louisville, Kentucky, by Shirley M. Cochran, M.S.P.T., P.C.S., pediatric physical therapist. Shirley was a lifelong horsewoman and professional rider for more than 15 years. She was first exposed to hippotherapy in graduate school, learning how beneficial the gait and movement of a horse are to an impaired person’s neuromuscular system.
Her experiences led to an intense passion for combining the healing power of the horse with classic therapeutic principles. In the spring of 2000, Shirley began Green Hill Therapy in her backyard (located on Green Hill’s current property) with three patients and a pony named Daisy, and she witnessed amazing results. Green Hill has grown exponentially over the past 17 years and now provides thousands of life-changing therapy sessions to children with the help of 80+ dedicated volunteers each year.
Corporations, charitable organizations, foundations, and individuals contribute funds annually to help bridge the gap between insurance reimbursements and actual operating expenses. Green Hill Therapy has a dedicated board of directors, staff, and volunteer team committed to the longevity of the organization. The body of evidence supporting the clinical benefits of aquatherapy and hippotherapy continues to grow, as does the number of children who benefit from Green Hill Therapy’s unique services.