Hippotherapy
Did you know that horses can be used for a variety of therapies? Technically, it’s called “incorporating equine movement into a plan of care as a therapy tool” but it’s commonly called hippotherapy. I have not yet had the pleasure of working with horses for therapy but I’m keeping my fingers crossed extra tight that I’ll get to one day!
Fun Fact: “Hippo-“ means horse here, not hippopotamus! The Greek root, “-potamus,” means river, making a hippopotamus a “river horse.”
How can horses help?
In physical therapy, the way a person’s hips move while they’re riding a horse is very similar to how a person’s hips move while walking. So, riding a horse can help retrain your body how to walk after some injuries or difficulties due to other illnesses. It can also help strengthen your core, which is super helpful for maintaining balance and good posture and for striking cool poses. To be clear, using horses for physical therapy should only be done with the guidance and supervision of a licensed physical therapist.
Image courtesy of Adobe Photostock.
Do other professionals use horses for therapy?
Yes! Hippotherapy can also be used by occupational and mental health therapists, as well as speech language pathologists. Many people find caring for horses and riding them to be a very calming and healing experience.
If you want to know more about hippotherapy, check out these links:
https://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org/what-is-hippotherapy
I would love to hear about your experiences with hippotherapy! I am also happy to take questions if you have any. I can’t guarantee that I can help but I’ll do my best!
