Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Horse Therapy for Physical, Emotional and Learning Disabilities
Horse therapy can be extremely effective for individuals with physical, emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities.
Horses are incredible animals. They seem to sense when people have special needs and they try their best to adapt to meet those needs. These gentle giants are unbelievably understanding, compassionate and completely non-judgmental. Unless one is deliberately brutal, they continually excuse us for our mistakes. Horses truly give their hearts and souls for the people that love them. It is no wonder then that horses make such wonderful “therapists.”
The concept of therapeutic riding started in Europe in the 1950’s. Following the development of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc. (NARHA) in 1969, an organization that defines safety standards and provides support for the industry, the number of programs in the North America began to increase.1 As of 2006, there were 717 NARHA member centers serving 38,600 children and adults throughout North America.2
The horse’s movements are smooth, and for those who are not able to walk on their own, the riding experience can help to exercise muscles that are used in walking and for balance. For individuals with cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis, the smooth motion of the horse can help to improve balance, overall gross motor function, as well as trunk, pelvic and hip motion.3,4 In fact, miracles occasionally occur! Jeannette Wood, an adult rider who spent seven years in a wheelchair as a result of M.S., is now not only able to walk, but able to trot along with the horse as a volunteer sidewalker at the therapeutic riding facility where she first attended as a participant.5
Therapeutic riding can also be helpful for children with developmental disabilities, mental retardation and learning disabilities. Stevens (2007) discusses how horse interaction and therapeutic riding are particularly helpful for children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This type of therapeutic setting may help children to improve their:
- Listening skills and the ability to follow multi-step directions.
- Communication skills.
- Social skills.
- Self-esteem.
- Left to right orientation and directionality (start at the front, move to the back, move left to right).
- Sequencing (step one, step two, step three, etc. in order).6
Horse interaction and therapeutic riding can also help the child diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder to allow others to enter their world and eventually to join, at least to some degree, the world outside of themselves.7,8
Therapeutic riding and horse interaction is a powerful tool for many as they strive toward wholeness. NARHA lists at least 25 types of special needs that member centers meet, including emotional and behavioral issues, at risk youth, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, and vision, speech and hearing impairments.2 And for those who are able bodied with a lot of love to give, there is always a great need for volunteers!
References
- NARHA. About NARHA. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: http://www.narha.org/WhoIsNARHA/About.asp.
- NARHA. 2006 Statistical NARHA Center Information. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: http://www.narha.org.
- Baker, Liz (1995). Cerebral Palsy and Therapeutic Riding. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: http://www.narha.org/Participants/Archives.asp (Therapeutic Riding for Clients with Cerebral Palsy).
- Baker, Liz (1997). Multiple Sclerosis and Therapeutic Riding. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: http://www.narha.org/Participants/Archives.asp (Therapeutic Riding for Clients with Multiple Sclerosis).
- NARHA (2007). NARHA Volunteer Recognition Award. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: www.narha.org/pdffiles/2007Conf/Volunteer.pdf.
- Stevens, Loretta. Of Children and Horses. Holistic: Harmonizing Pathways to Wholeness (Winter 2007):38-43. Available at URL: www.holisticjournal.org.
- Brown, Hana May (1996). Intrusion and Interaction Therapy for Rider’s with Autism. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: http://www.narha.org/Participants/Archives.asp (Therapeutic Riding for Clients with Autism).
- Kohn, Deborah(1996). Autism and Therapeutic Riding. Retrieved May 20, 2007 from URL: http://www.narha.org/Participants/Archives.asp (Therapeutic Riding for Clients with Autism).
