Hippotherapy

• The word hippotherapy is derived from the Greek hippos meaning horse. Hippotherapy is therefore treatment or therapy that is aided by a horse.
• Throughout history horses have been used in many ways to help improve our quality of life. They have been essential for farming, battles, transport, entertainment, sports, herding animals and police work amongst many other uses. 
• Their versatility and ability to be easily trained have made horses an important part of many cultures throughout history. 
• Horses have recently played an important part in therapy and have been proven useful therapeutic aids to the therapist.
• Hippotherapy in its purest form is carried out by occupational therapists, physiotherapists and speech therapists. 
• It is based on a classic German model of practice used since the 1960s. 
• Therapists need to have had the relevant training and hold a certificate of clinical competence (SLP/CCC) if they are using the classical method as this involves the movement of the horse to influence the client.
• Hippotherapy can therefore be described as the use of the movement of the horse as a treatment strategy to address impairments, functional limitations and disabilities in children with neuromotor and sensory dysfunction. 
• Carefully graded motor and sensory input is provided to achieve treatment goals. 
• It can then be generalised to a wide range of daily activities. 
• Hippotherapy may also be used with adults, but it is more commonly started at an early age where the therapeutic effects and results are more immediate.