What is therapeutic riding?
Therapeutic horseback riding, or equine-assisted activity, is for individuals with a range of physical, emotional, cognitive and social special needs. Therapeutic riding refers specifically to horseback riding lessons for people with special needs in which the
therapeutic benefits of riding are a result of learning riding skills.
Therapeutic riding is considered an animal-assisted activity. As with any animal-assisted therapy, the contact with another living being and the special bond people form with animals is used as a therapeutic tool. However, horses provide more than just skills acquired from a relationship with an animal or learning to care for an animal. Riding a horse provides a unique and often profound
activity for many people. The motion of the horse, the concentration needed to acquire riding skills, and the communication between instructor and rider allow people with a variety of disabilities to
benefit from riding.
Riding, like many other therapeutic approaches, can also be considered a form of recreational therapy. That is, because riding is an enjoyable activity for many people, therapeutic riding is also used as a quality-of-life activity for people with degenerative diseases as well as a fun activity for children and adults. Riding is a rapidly growing field with much diversification. Horseback riding has been recognized by many medical professionals and therapists as a very effective physical activity for many people.
Who benefits from therapeutic riding?
Therapeutic riding can be beneficial to many people with special needs. The most obvious and often the most immediately recognizable benefit is physical. Because riding is a very physical activity, children and adults with special physical needs and various physical impairments can benefit from riding. The act of riding a horse is so unique, many people feel that riding, combined with other therapies, has a great effect on students because it fills a niche in the therapeutic needs of the individual that other activities can't. Instructors employ a variety of physical tasks that help improve balance, muscle strength, flexibility, joint movement and posture.
The sense of independence and acceptance found through these activities with the horse benefits all. Individuals with the following disabilities commonly participate and benefit from equine
facilitated therapy and activities:
Amputations,
Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism,
Brain Injuries, Cardiovascular, Accident/Stroke, Cerebral Palsy,
Deafness, Down Syndrome, Emotional Disabilities, Learning Disabilities, Mental Retardation, Multiple Sclerosis, Selective Mutism, Spina Bifida,
Spinal Cord Injuries, Visual Impairment