Equine-Assisted Therapy is an effective strategy for addressing symptoms of a number of disorders, including ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In addition to be exciting and helping children get outside, other key benefits of Equine-Assisted Therapy include the following:
- The movement of the horse can help naturally address sensory and speech issues
- Speech and social skills are strengthened through communication with the horse, trainer, and other riders
- Communication with a horse can feel safer than communication with other children
- Caring for and riding a horse requires children to focus their attention
- Empathy is built through an understanding of how the child’s actions affect the horse and others
- Learning a new skill is always beneficial for improving self-esteem and enhances motivation
Equine Assisted-Therapy is conducted through two primary methods:
Hippotherapy
Learning to ride horses is not the primary goal of hippotherapy. Rather, the movement of the horse is used to provide sensory feedback. Generally, a saddle is not used to enhance the child’s experience of the horse’s movement. A trained occupational, physical, or speech-language therapist leads hippotherapy. This leader has the child engage in various games and ride the horse in a number of different positions to improve the challenges the child faces.
Therapeutic Riding
Therapeutic riding generally occurs in a group setting, which helps to promote development of social skills, including awareness of others. The instructor offers guidance to the child to specifically learn how to ride the horse. The child is asked to provide care for the horse, and the use of games may also be incorporated.
While both forms of therapy have been shown to be effective, hippotherapy tends to offer more individualized attention. Further, hippotherapy is more likely to be covered by insurance, though a referral from a medical professional is generally required.
Reference:
McEvoy, R.E., Gangwish, K., & Jones, M. (2016). Child decoded: Unlocking complex issues in your child’s behavior, learning and attention. Louisville, CO: L.E.A.R.N., LLC.