Benefits of Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy is a recognized and certified process of occupational, physical, and speech therapy that provides many benefits to individuals with special needs. Hippotherapy benefits all systems of the body holistically. Even better, unlike most other occupational and physical therapy environments, hippotherapy is FUN! A person’s excitement to work with horses provides an overall attitude that fosters healing.
Therapeutic Benefits of Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy helps our patients in so many different and valuable ways. Typically, the benefits include:
- Stretching - One of the big challenges for many of our patients is that they are often physically limited in some way. This can cause postural deviations, limited range of motion and pain. It is therefore critical to stretch out muscles to encourage proper alignment, which in turn can help improve function. By placing patients in various positions on the horse, the body has to work to stretch the muscles that are weak and misaligned.
- Strengthening – Another challenge our patients often face is the loss of muscle strength. By placing patients in certain positions on the horse, using the natural movement of the horse, it activates many different muscle groups at the same time. This strengthens the core and can dramatically improve posture and endurance.
- Sensory processing – This is our ability to organize and respond to information that comes in through our senses. Our patients frequently have difficulty processing sensory input. The movement of the horse, especially with the change of speed, gait pattern, and positioning of the patient, helps our patients organize their perceptual, visual, and proprioceptive responses to sensory stimulation. Hippotherapy is a great way of “rewiring the brain” to help process all the stimuli that our patient's are required to take in.
- GI Tract – Many of our patients have difficulty regulating their gastrointestinal system, whether it be due to inactivity, multiple medications, or for other reasons. Many parents and caregivers have reported how the movement on the horse has “loosened things up”, often stimulating GI functions and improving regulation.
- Respiratory – Again, the movement of the horse and the stimulation of muscles can help improve respiratory muscle strength as well. Changes in position on the horse, such as laying back on the patient's back, can help stretch and expand the chest and abdominals to help improve respiratory function by expanding the diaphragm.
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Benefits of working with horses
Recent studies conducted by the Institute of Heart-Math shows that two-way "healing” occurs when humans are close to horses. According to researchers, the heart has an electromagnetic field larger than the brain. A magnetometer measures the energy field of the human heart radiates a radius of 2.4 to 3 meters around the human body. The electromagnetic field projected by the heart of a horse is five times larger than that of a human being, and directly influence’s a human’s heart rate.
Horses also have what science identifies as a "coherent" heart rate (heart rate pattern). This explains why humans "feel better" when in close proximity to horses. Studies have found a coherent heart pattern (or HRV) as a measure of well-being...consistent with emotional states of joy and calmness.
A coherent heart pattern allows a human to adapt to stressful situations efficiently. Humans benefit by being in the presence of horses, and feel a sense of well-being and peace. Research shows benefits including: lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, higher beta-endorphins (neurotransmitters acting as pain suppressors), decreased stress levels, decreased feelings of anger, hostility, tension and anxiety. Humans experience greater feelings of empowerment, confidence, patience and self-efficacy just by being around horses.
Horses have an incredible sense of connection to humans they interact with. When humans are sad or emotionally distressed, horses can sense this and match the emotions of the humans they connect with. If a human is anxious, a horse can sense the anxiety, and is able to assist the human in whatever way they can. Horses have even been an incredible “early warning system” for our patients. For example, if a horse senses a potential epileptic seizure, or a child is seated in an unstable way, the horse will often stop and indicate a problem to our therapists.
Help for the whole family
At Car-ynne4kids, we are here to help the whole family…not just the patient. With our full time Chaplain, we can provide a much-needed break for the parent, an ear to listen, and advice to connect you with support groups that can help. We realize therapy must be holistic to be effective. We strive to help our families in any and every way we can. Theresa is the parent of a child with special needs and knows first-hand of the challenges families face.
Therapy with Car-ynne4kids is FUN!
One of the best benefits of hippotherapy at Car-ynne 4 kids is that it is simply FUN for our patients. Therapy can be challenging, not only for the patient, but for the entire family. For the patient, coming to our ranch and being in the presence of horses (and all the other critters) will be the highlight of their week. Therapy is often about attitude and motivation. If therapy is fun, the patient is more likely to respond positively to the treatment. For the siblings, being on a ranch and interacting with horses, our pig, Hammy, dogs, cats, chickens, pheasants, and the rest of our menagerie, can be so much more entertaining than being in a waiting room and treatment room of a therapy clinic. Just being around animals can be tremendously therapeutic.