OccupationalTherapy.com Phone: 866-782-9924


Hippotherapy

Barbara Smith, MS, OTR/L

July 1, 2018

Share:

Question

Why should we utilize hippotherapy?

Answer

The horse provides multidimensional movement that is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive. This is similar to the human gait. There are other animals that people can ride for therapy, like elephants, but a horse's gait and pace is similar to a human's. The pelvis moves in an anterior/superior and lateral direction, and there is pelvic rotation. All these movements give the rider the experience of walking. Riders, who have abnormal gait, get to experience what a normal gait feels like.

It is important that your horse have a good gait. During the hippotherapy session, we also had a volunteer who was in control of the horse and led it with a rope. The therapist would tell the volunteer when to go and stop. There was one volunteer who had an uneven gait. He dragged one leg when leading the horse. He had good control of the horse, but he was not appropriate to use during hippotherapy sessions. We needed volunteers who had normal gait as well as the horses. 

The horse's gait is special because the horse walks at a rate of 110-120 beats per minute, providing over 3,000 opportunities for a child to accommodate his or her pelvis during a 30-minute therapy session. Typically, my sessions were 30 minutes. There were a couple of situations where I worked with children who had spasticity, and it took me about 15 minutes of slow walking just to have their spasticity be reduced enough so that the child could open up his hips and straddle the horse. Those sessions might have run longer.

The horses would work for about two hours, and then they would be switched for a new horse. Often it was hard to find the ideal horse for every client. Some horses have a more narrow body, which is beneficial for someone who has limited range of motion and spasticity. A horse, who is ready to move and loves to trot, would be great for a child with autism, but maybe not with a client with cerebral palsy. For clients with cerebral palsy, we want a horse with a very smooth, even, and calm gait to reduce muscle tone. We used horses that had a better temperament and a desirable gait as mentioned before. Horses would move up to the hippotherapy program if they proved that they were reliable and had all the aforementioned characteristics. These horses almost never reacted to what was going on in the environment which was desirable.  

In the sessions, the child could straddle the horse and face frontward or backwards, or sit sideways and face me. The child would be constantly responding to the pull of gravity and other forces. The forces were constantly changing as there was a lot of variety in the environment. I liked to use a gait belt as it is safer for me to hold on to the child.

Hippotherapy:

  • Builds strength
  • Develops balance
  • Normalizes muscle tone
  • Increases range of motion
  • Allows for weight bearing

Hippotherapy helps to increase body awareness and engagement: 

  • Right/left side coordination
  • Motor planning - sequencing and rhythm
  • Respiratory control
  • Sensory integration
  • Attention/focus
  • Persistence at tasks
  • Endurance

Hippotherapy promotes the following:

  • Visual perceptual skills
  • Daily living skills
  • Eye-hand coordination
  • Decrease sensory defensiveness
  • Communication skills
  • Social/emotional health
  • Self-esteem

 


barbara smith

Barbara Smith, MS, OTR/L

Barbara A. Smith, M.S., OTR/L has worked for over 30 years in a variety of settings including public schools, special education collaboratives, early intervention programs,  state institutions, community residences, adult day services and hippotherapy facilities.  She is the author of The Recycling Occupational Therapist, From Rattles to Writing: A Parent’s Guide to Hand Skills and From Flapping to Function: A Parent’s Guide to Autism and Hand Skills. Barbara’s newest book explains the developmental challenges that impact fine-motor skills and the many creative, easy to implement and inexpensive strategies to help children learn. Naturally many activities are made from or adapted using recycled materials!


Related Courses

Collaborative Consultation: Supporting Students with Autism in the Classroom
Presented by Tara Warwick, MS, OTR/L
Video

Presenter

Tara Warwick, MS, OTR/L
Course: #4144Level: Intermediate1 Hour
  'Well organized information that is very applicable to today's classroom challenges'   Read Reviews
The purpose of this course is to provide tools and strategies for therapists in supporting inclusive classrooms. The course will incorporate evidence-based classroom supports for students with autism, highlighting Universal Design for Learning.

Continued Conversations, The CE Podcast: Functional Goal Setting in Pediatrics
Presented by Patti Sharp, OTD, MS, OTR/L
Audio

Presenter

Patti Sharp, OTD, MS, OTR/L
Course: #4414Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'Great explanations regarding bottom-up and top-down approaches as they relate to participation and function!'   Read Reviews
This course reviews the role of goal-setting in occupational therapy practice. The presenter and host attempt to reconcile differences between their own professional experience with goal-setting, historical precedent, current practice, and current evidence-based recommendations.

Respiratory Concerns for the Premature Infant
Presented by Tina Pennington, MNSc, RNC-NIC
Video

Presenter

Tina Pennington, MNSc, RNC-NIC
Course: #9545Level: Intermediate1 Hour
  'Instructor's knowledge and detail'   Read Reviews
Respiratory concerns for the premature infant is an intermediate course discussing the common lung conditions related to prematurity. Practical clinical applications include successful positive-pressure ventilation techniques, neuroprotection, long-term disease management, and improved interdisciplinary team communications.

Assessment And Treatment Strategies To Boost Brain Skills In Partnership With The Pocket Occupational Therapist
Presented by Cara Koscinski, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, CAS
Video

Presenter

Cara Koscinski, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, CAS
Course: #5453Level: Intermediate1.5 Hours
  'The Presenter's knowledge and emphasis of the importance of first addressing and strengthening the development movement patterns for an organized and regulated body was a helpful reminder to look at the child's quality of movement and patterns'   Read Reviews
Children often struggle with fidgeting, attention deficits, and immature motor patterns which manifest themselves through frustration, sensory, and behavior issues. The optimal function of our bodies occurs when our sensory and motor systems are strong and able to adapt to the demands of the environment. Lack of movement opportunities and the use of electronic devices at a young age both affect the development of patterns used in the occupation of children. Occupational therapists can easily build-in assessment of body and segmental movement and posture. This session provides strategies for assessment and introduces treatment ideas for using movement to improve performance in occupation.

Interoception: The Hidden Sensory System
Presented by Rondalyn V. Whitney, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Video

Presenter

Rondalyn V. Whitney, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Course: #3932Level: Intermediate1 Hour
  'I love how she shared her personal experiences to relate to the information'   Read Reviews
The interoceptive system, often referred to as the ‘eighth sensory system’ is often neglected or misunderstood. However, this system is critical to self regulation. This course will explain how understanding the 8th sensory system can contribute to better sensory modulation, social interaction and ultimately as better sense of self-awareness.

Our site uses cookies to improve your experience. By using our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.