Also called Equine-Assisted Therapy or Therapy with Equines, Hippotherapy (from the Greek word hippos meaning horse) is a medical treatment utilizing the purposeful manipulation of equine movement as a treatment strategy to address functional goals.
In simpler terms: through hippotherapy, specially trained physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists apply the movement, rhythm, and repetition of the horse as a treatment strategy to help patients achieve therapeutic goals. At our facility, the activity stations throughout our custom sensory track are designed to encourage specific motor function and neurological stimulation in order to further enhance the growth and development potential of our participants. Many insurances may be used for services through our wonderful therapy partners with just a $10 per session facility-use fee.
Manes and Miracles is able to provide equine-assisted therapy and take care of the animals through donations. Donations of all kinds and sizes are accepted!
Manes and Miracles Parent
Hippotherapy is integrated into physical, occupational, or speech therapy and therefore it is part of a one-on-one medical treatment plan. However, we are thrilled when our clients abilities improve enough that they are able to move on to Therapeutic Riding, sometimes also called Adaptive Riding. Instructors provide a specialized experience which teaches horsemanship skills tailored to the individual needs and abilities of each client. Adaptive Riding develops strength, coordination, communication, empathy, skills, confidence and relationship building, and emotional well-being while learning the proper way to groom, care for, and ride a horse. Therapeutic riding is not covered by insurances. Please contact us for pricing.
Basically… Everything!
It’s all about movement. The horse’s pelvis shares the same three-dimensional planes as the human pelvis: front to back (anterior/posterior or flexion/extension), side to side (lateral), and rotation. This movement is multi-dimensional and provides a system-wide neurophysiological impact.
Receiving the movement transmitted by the horse’s pelvis – which results in weight shifts, balance reactions, and core/pelvis motions – helps the rider develop the skills – like motor planning, bilateral coordination, muscle strength, balance, visual perceptual, sensory regulation, weight-bearing, timing, and more – so essential for daily life.
In Short: The dynamic movement of the horse combined with the dynamic environment leads to functional change.
By applying different combinations of patterns (like circles, weaving, uphill and downhill), gaits and speeds (slow walk, fast walk, trot), riding postures (sitting facing forward, sideways or backwards, on hands and knees, lying face-down), and interactive activity stations which are designed to develop particular physical, mental, and emotional skills, our highly trained therapists are able to provide precisely the sensory and neurological input each child will benefit from most.
Combining the traditional therapy practices with the use of horses has seen improvements in many ways:
Physical benefits include improvements in
Cognitive benefits include advancements in
Manes and Miracles Parent
Hayden gets to leave behind the limitations of her wheelchair each week as she experiences the freedom of walking during therapy with Winston, her favorite horse.
When you join the Miracle Makers Club, you provide scholarships for Hayden and the over 60 other special needs friends receiving equine-assisted therapy at Manes and Miracles!
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