Equine- Assisted Therapy & Hippotherapy… What Is The Difference?
With the recent announcement of beginning services at Ridgebury Farm & Stables, let’s take the time to discuss the difference between Equine-Assisted Therapy and Hippotherapy!
Equine- Assisted Therapy
What is it?
- Focuses on addressing mental health with patients caring for horses in a stable setting
- By caring for horses, patients are able to address the emotional and mental health challenges
- Shown to improve mental health and even reducing symptoms of mental health disorders
Hippotherapy
What is it?
- Patient gets to ride the horses in order to address physical health
- Term used by OT’s, PT’s, and SLP’S through using horse-riding as a therapeutic technique
- Incorporation of the engagements of sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive systems to promote function outcomes
Who can provide services?
- Occupational Therapists and Assistants
- Physical Therapists and Assistants
- Speech Language Pathologists and Assistants
Why Horses?
- The emotional intelligence of horses help patients through improvements in the areas of self- confidence, overcome their struggles, and build long- lasting emotional foundations for success
- Movements of the horse encourage the rider to perform with proper balance and posture
Physical Benefits:
- Balance
- Coordination
- Endurance
- Head and trunk control
- Flexibility
- Motor planning
- Visual motor
Cognitive Benefits:
- Emotional awareness
- Stress tolerance
- Self- regulation
- Empathy
- Confidence
- Inter-personal relationships
Psychological Benefits:
- Improve Self- Esteem
- Promote social participation
- Interaction with the horse
Individuals Who Can Benefit:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Anxiety
- Cerebral Palsy
- Depression
- Developmental Delay
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Sensory Processing Disorder
- Down Syndrome
- Multiple Sclerosis
Hippotherapy Certification Exam Requirements:
- Therapy license to practice
- Minimum of 1 year of clinical experience as a licensed clinician (OT, OTA, PT, PTA, SLP, SLPA)
- Completion of American Hippotherapy Association Level I and II equine skills and treatment courses
- Minimum of 25 hours of 1 to 1 direct patient treatment with use of hippotherapy
- Basic level of horsemanship with experience and comfort with horses and ability to safely ride and walk/ trot
- Exam is 150 multiple choice questions, requiring a passing score of 80%
For More Information Visit:
- Banyan Treatment Centers: https://www.banyanboca.com/2019/03/01/what-is-the-difference-between-equine-assisted-therapy-and-hippotherapy/
- American Hippotherapy Association: https://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org/
