by Linda Harvan, FAUSA
In 2019, The Association of American Women of Aberdeen (AWA) nominated ARC Hippotherapy for a FAWCO Foundation Development Grant (1) to purchase a hydraulic lifting platform that allows height adjustments to accommodate all sizes of ponies and horses and also allows wheelchair access. Members of the AWA have regularly volunteered at ARC as greeters or side-along helpers, assisting with gross motor skill exercises, leading horses and offering administrative/IT support. They also raised and contributed a total of £21,000 during this time. The Health Team has taken a look back at this worthwhile project to share with you the benefits of Equine Therapy.
Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies benefit individuals of all ages with and without special needs. The movement of a horse mimics a human’s natural gait when walking, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, strength, and balance. Horses also have similar social and responsive behaviors to humans, helping patients with emotional challenges. Horses are naturally fight animals, which makes them hyper-vigilant, sensitive and keen observers. They provide feedback by mirroring the patient’s behavior, physical movements and emotions.
Hippotherapy is one type of Equine Assisted Therapy. The term hippotherapy comes from the Greek hippos, meaning ‟horse” or ‘equine.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines hippotherapy as “The use of horse riding as a therapeutic or rehabilitative treatment, especially as a means of improving coordination, balance, and strength.”(2) Hippotherapy services require a medical necessity designation and can be provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists or speech language pathology professionals. Treatment goals vary depending on the patient, and progress is measured by improvements in sensory, neuromotor and cognitive functioning. “Statistically significant outcomes include improvements in patient balance, strength, mobility, gait, sensory processing and regulation, coordination, speech, language, communication, vocal intensity, and participation in daily activities.”(3) Hippotherapy may be beneficial for patients with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, developmental delays, traumatic brain injury, stroke, autism and learning or language disabilities. Hippotherapy is highly effective for patients with neurological problems that have resulted in ataxia or spasticity and patients with balance problems. The movement of the horse, the warmth of the horse and the way the legs are positioned when sitting astride a horse act to decrease the abnormal muscle tone and facilitate the muscles in the trunk that improve balance.(4) It is not a standalone treatment, but is used in conjunction with other treatment strategies and tools.
Hippotherapy differs from adaptive horseback riding which is considered an Equine Assisted Activity. Horseback riding is a recreational activity where the rider controls the horse. Adaptive riding lessons are taught by horseback riding instructors and adapted for riders with special needs. The goal is not rehabilitation, but to improve the skill and quality of life of the rider. Other objectives may be socialization, competition and fitness.
To learn more about Hippotherapy and other Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies, Danielle Kuznetsov, Health Team Co-Chair, and I took a behind-the-scenes tour of Juan Diez Rancheros in Davenport, Iowa and talked to Michele Allison, the founder and executive director. Also known as Abundant Life Ranchers in English, this non-profit organization has been operating for 12 years and promotes “emotional health and healing through the hearts of horses,” utilizing Equine Assisted Personal Development. Michele’s expertise is in animal behavior, and she sees children and young adults who are in counseling, often for emotional trauma, but who have encountered a roadblock. She observes how the horse and client interact and then asks questions to lead the client to discover answers on their own. Counselors attend sessions with their patients and continue traditional therapy after a breakthrough is made. At Juan Diez Rancheros, clients rarely ride horses. Instead, they participate in activities on the ground such as setting up an obstacle course with feelings or names to navigate. Clients typically attend three sessions before a breakthrough is made and they return to their regular counseling sessions. Watch the 2m30s video below to hear more from Michele.
Later, Danielle visited New Kingdom Trailriders in Sherrard, Illinois where she spoke with Monica Sauer, a rider and volunteer coordinator, and met two recently-donated mini horses, Husker and Harley. New Kingdom Trailriders offers therapeutic riding lessons for children as young as four years old, but also has a rider who is 77 years old. Half of their riders struggle with some form of mental illness, and 32% are on the autism spectrum. NKT was founded in 1984 and offers both group and private lessons. Their mission is “to empower individuals of all ages and abilities to reach their full potential through equine assisted activities.” Watch the 6m57s video below to hear more from Monica.
Visiting two non-profit facilities allowed us to see different ways of operating and serving the community. Juan Diez Rancheros is donation-based and operates on a shoestring budget, but provides services at no charge to the clients. Michele felt a calling to provide Equine Assisted Personal Development and left a secure job and lifestyle to follow her passion. The City of Davenport Parks and Recreation Department helped her realize this dream when they offered her a former community zoo property at no charge in exchange for maintaining and using the property to benefit the community. Michele does not do traditional fundraising, and most of the donations come from a small group of supporters or through word of mouth. Volunteers, both individuals and groups, provide additional support maintaining the grounds and taking care of the horses. The facility operates from April to November, depending on the weather.
At New Kingdom Trailriders clients attend six weekly sessions at a time and pay $150 for group lessons or $180 for individual lessons. Each time a rider has a lesson, the cost to NKT is $65, which includes all horse care, training, maintenance, and day-to-day necessities such as lighting and heat, but they keep the costs to clients affordable because of grants and donations. For clients who cannot afford the modest fees, scholarships are available. New Kingdom Trailriders is a larger facility and is accredited by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International. They actively seek donations through their website, Amazon wish list, merchandise and fundraising events like horse shows. Instructors provide lessons from February through the first week of December. Volunteers support NKT by greeting riders and families, leading or walking alongside the horses, maintaining the grounds and facilities, planning and executing events, assisting with barn chores or performing administrative duties.
PATH International estimates almost 69,000 children and adults around the world find strength and independence through the power of the horse each year. While the physical and psychological benefits of using hippotherapy combined with a regular physical, occupational or speech language therapy program are well documented, there is also a positive benefit for the clients’ families and those who work closely with them. Being outside in nature may feel more like horseplay than therapy, and it gives many younger clients a special activity even if they cannot participate in other sports. Find a PATH International center or learn more about the benefits of Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies.
1 FAWCO Foundation Development Grants.
3 American Hippotherapy Association, Inc.
4 M. Weger, personal communication, September 1, 2020