What is Hippotherapy?
Hippotherapy is a powerful and purposeful manipulation of equine movement as a therapy tool for speech-language, occupational, physical, and developmental therapies.
Research has proven that the repetitive, rhythmical input from the horse provides significant benefits to the rider. In 2008, Kidsource founded our Freedom Reins hippotherapy program to help our Kidsource kids achieve critical developmental milestones in an evidence-based, sensory-rich environment.
Therapy for a Variety of Skills
Based on the research in sensory input and integration, Freedom Reins can provide the modality of equine-assisted therapy. Hippotherapy uses the horse and its movements to facilitate outcomes in developmental, physical, occupational, and speech therapies. It addresses a wide variety of skills such as:
- Range of Motion
- Fluency (Reducing Stuttering)
- Trunk Stability & Core Strength
- Overall Mobility
- Social Skills
- Motivation and Attention
- Sensory Integration
- Language Development
- Posture Control
How It Works
Hippotherapy provides sensory input that helps a child organize their body for complex tasks. For some children, the goal may be to produce sounds or communicate; for others, it may be to improve posture, gait (walking ability), and attention skills. A leader always guides and maintains control of the horse’s movement while the therapist chooses activities that will help achieve specific goals.
With hippotherapy, a child will experience many different types of beneficial sensory stimulation. Muscles and joints receive deep pressure stimulation from bouncing and holding positions (like kneeling or standing on the horse). The brain receives vestibular stimulation (to sense movement and balance) as the horse moves and changes speeds.
Learn more about hippotherapy by visiting the American Hippotherapy Association’s website.
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If you believe that your child could benefit from Freedom Reins, don’t hesitate to contact us!
