Kyle & Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Hippotherapy and Therapeutic Horseback Riding, is physical, occupational and speech therapy done while riding a horse, or in some cases driving the horse while riding in a cart. With Hippotherapy a physical, occupational or speech therapist is actually present, while in therapeutic horseback riding this is not the case. With therapeutic horseback riding, independent riding is stressed while with hippotherapy it is not. Both work the larger muscles in the thighs and gets a good stretch in the hips. For fine motor, holding the reins and manuveuring the horse left, right and when stopping works the muscles in the hands. The children are encouraged to tell the horse to "walk on", "whoa", and "trot". This is a wonderful way to get the children to use their voices and to learn that when they say a certain phrase they will get a certain response. The horse helps with balance, helping the kids to feel what a "normal" gait is like, works wonders on self-esteem, and is a wonderful tactile stimulus. While this therapy is not for everyone, I think it is at least worth looking into for every child.
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Kyle mounting Sham for his one hour lesson. He uses both hands to hold onto the saddle and pull himself up. Bringing his leg over the saddle gets a good stretch in the hips as does riding the horse.
Kyle holding onto the reins really helps with his fine motor. We use big cotton reins that are a little easier for Kyle to get his hands around. He can now guide the horse where he wants him to go most of the time.
Kyle is encouraged to ride alternating hands in the air getting a good 
stretch in his shoulders and helping with his balance. This also helps with his confidence level in realizing he can stay on the horse without having to hold on for dear life. To me this is helping him learn to trust different parts of his body and making him more aware of using these different parts.
When Kyle stands in the saddle he gets a good stretch in his thigh and calf. It is teaching him to balance his weight equally on each side of his body.
Here they are trotting the horse while Kyle has one hand holding 
the front of the saddle and one holding the back. Changing positions like his helps Kyle get used to balancing in different positions.
do. He wasn't sure about not holding onto the horse at all. He has gotten very good at this though. I know a lot of adults who wouldn't do this.
Here Kyle is guiding Sham through the tires. He has been getting much better at this. This is a wonderful fine motor workout.
Another position great for balance and definitely gives Kyle a different view of the world. He gets to see where he has been.
Getting to rest for a minute. 
While Kyle is riding backwards they work with him letting go one arm at a time and also with both arms out at his sides.
After Kyle is done with his lesson he always helps brush Sham. This 
is another wonderful fine motor task. And we can never forget Sham's Apple cookie snack. Sham always is sure to remind us he needs a reward for a job well done.
For more information on this topic see the NARHA website at http://www.narha.org
For a discussion of hippotherapy/therapeutic horseback riding see our April 2001 Power Connections Newsletter.
For more information on Sham go to the Starhaven Farm website at http://www.hungarianhorse.com/sham.html.
Copyright 1999-2001 by April Hernandez. Do not use any of the information or images from this page. This page was made exclusively for KidPower and last updated 7/15/01. Thank you.
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