Hippo therapy? Ever heard of it? "Hippo" meaning Horse in Latin?

Question

When I was interning in college I had the priveledge of participating in a program in Andover, MA considered a riding therapy program (hippotherapy) for credit. It was the best experience of my life. I got to teach blind children tactile tasks, (stroking horse, grooming horse etc), behavioral therapy, (ritual feeding and grooming and stall upkeep) to actually having children with severe cognitive and physical disabilities actually riding the horse for physical benefits, RE: the rocking motion of the horse to strengthen muscles, and much, much more. Has anyone ever participated in this? I have heard that you need to be a physical therapist to even work in this feild and that there are only two colleges in the country that teach this art? Any feedback, comments, experience, advice, etc? If I could do it all over again....

Answer 1

there is a hippotherapy center here called the Cheff Center.  I volunteered there and it was so fun.  I will never forget when I was working with the deaf adult class and they all like to go fast so when the instructor signed "whoa" they all just turned their heads refusing to look at her and continued to trot or canter around the ring, we all had a great time.  They have classes for all different kinds of disabilities.  I don't know about what colleges offer the degree, but they have internships at the Ch eff Center, I  am not sure if they are Pt's or not, I didn't think they were.

Answer 2

Here is the web site for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.  They have all sorts of training material as well as links to places to volunteer .... We have instructors all over Southern Calif .....

http://www.narha.org/

Answer 3

was it ironstone farm?

sorry, i live in the area [=

but i work at a therapeutic equitation farm near my home which does hippo therapy.  I myself have never helped with the class, but I've seen it.  it is really amazing, but even the therapeutic riding itself (people w. autism and other behavioural problems) show SO much improvement its crazy, and wonderful.

my friends brother was never expected to be able to sit up or do much of anything, and although he is confined to a motorised wheel chair on horses he is able to sit up by himself and steer.  He was also on a horse the first time he smiled [=

Answer 4

There are a few books on it

"The Tao of Horses" is a pretty in depth look at how the author found hippotherapy.  same author wrote "riding between the Worlds" on the same supbject.  Just more in depth.  and also more of the spiritual side.

For info about qualifications in the specific area you are interested in, call the farms you visited.  maybe inquire about an internship.

a lot of those places are operated by volunteers, also!

Answer 5

BTW "Hippo" means horse in GREEK, Equus means horse in Latin.  

I have a good friend in CT who has been doing a LOT for one facility that works with the handicapped.  E-mail me and I'll forward your e-mail on to her.  She can probably answer all your questions in a knowledgeable fashion.

Answer 6

Yes I have volunteered at a local stable for the Hippo Therapy sessions.  They have been into this type of therapy for years and are doing very well with it.  It is amazing what a horse can do for a MS patient, or accident victim, or a mentally challenged child or adult.  I have seen through the years many people improve their motor skills from being on those horses.  The warmth of the horses body, plus the movement when it walks out, and just the idea of another breathing being being part of the clients life.  There are favourite horses for some of the adults, they say that they can tell the difference in a particular horses gait,  some doing a better job with the therapy with their own particular muscular problem.

Answer 7

There seems to be much confusion about what hippotherapy is and who is able to provide it.  

Hippotherapy is provided by speech, occuapational and physical therapists.  In order to provide hippotherapy you must be a licensed therapist in the state you practice in and it is recommended that you have specialized training.

Riding skills are not taught.

NARHA does not provide significant information on hippotherapy, the American Hippotherapy Association does.  They are an affiliate of NARHA.  NARHA provides certification to therapeutic riding instructors.

Therapeutic riding is a recreational or sport activity for persons with disabilities and sounds like the activities many people have been discussing here.  This is a great service and is provided by certified riding instructors.  This is not therapy, however.

Both hippotherapy and therapeutic riding are great for different reasons, it is important for people to understand the differences for ethical and legal reasons.