An Introduction to Therapeutic Horse Riding and Hippotherapy
at Freedom Ride, Inc. Central Florida's premier therapeutic equestrian
facility Orlando Florida
History of Therapeutic Riding & Freedom Ride
Writings
pertaining to the benefits of horse riding have been recognized
for centuries. In 300 BC, horses were used as a form of therapy
for injured warriors. It was in recent history that Liz Hartell,
who had been disabled by polio, won a silver medal for her dressage
test at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. This event established therapeutic
horsemanship as being of prominent value to individuals with disabilities
internationally.
In 1965, the Riding for the Disabled Association was formed in
Coventry, England. This organization promoted wide acceptance for
therapeutic riding throughout Europe. Today there are more than
200 programs in England with more than 5,000 students participating.
Shortly there-after, the Cheff Center for the Handicapped of Augusta,
Michigan, opened its doors in 1968 as the largest therapeutic riding
center in the world, riding more than 220 students per week.
In 1969, the North America Riding for the Handicapped Association
was formed in Ashburn, Virginia. The organization's goals are to
train individuals to formulate and operate therapeutic riding programs.
This was the start of a growing trend. Today the organization's
headquarters are in Denver, Colorado and there are more than 670
programs operating in the United States serving more than 40,000
riders annually.
Locally, Freedom Ride was started in 1998 by Anne Galliher. She
was inspired to start a program after seeing how a horse helped
her best friend regain strength and coordination after major surgery.
A pilot program was begun in July of 1998 at Springdale Farm in
Longwood, with a handful of volunteers, two riders and borrowed
horses and equipment. To date, the program assists over 100 riders
weekly and has trained more than 350 volunteers in the community.
Phase 1 of a three (3) phase capital build campaign is underway
with the construction of a covered arena, covered walk ways and
mounting ramps. This construction of a permanent home designed specifically
for therapeutic horse riding is located at the former Ben White
Raceway property on Lee Road in Orlando.
Current participants may have one or more of the following disabilities:
cerebral palsy, spina bifida, down syndrome, developmental delays,
mental retardation, autism, sensory dysfunction, behavior disorders
or learning impairment.
Some of the groups from the community have assisted Freedom Ride
over the past year: Orange County Public Schools, Autism Recovery
Network, LifeSkills, Inc, OMI, UCF, Rollins College, Florida Hospital,
Bank of America, Disney World, United Cerebral Palsy, College Park
Baptist Church Men's Group, Center for Autism and Related Disabilities
(CARD), City of Orlando Recreation Departments, Orange County and
Orlando Mounted Police, Local Girl/Boy Scout Troops.
What is Therapeutic Riding?
Therapeutic
riding uses equine-oriented activities for the purpose of contributing
positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well
being of people with disabilities. Therapeutic riding provides benefits
in the areas of therapy, education, sport, and recreation and leisure.
Therapeutic Riding Classifications
The following classifications reflect the primary fields of therapeutic
riding and their different approaches. An integrated approach to
therapeutic riding uses the therapeutic benefits in all four fields;
however, each can be practiced as a specialty.
Education
Equine activities are used to achieve psycho-educational goals
for people with physical, mental and psychological impairments as
well as to provide the individual with skills in the sport chosen
(such as riding, driving or vaulting). The emphasis is to incorporate
cognitive, behavioral, psychological and physical goals into the
program plan while teaching adapted riding, driving or vaulting.
The horse is a strong motivator for accomplishing these goals.
Therapeutic riding instructors, educational specialists and *licensed
/ credentialed health professionals are involved in the design and
implementation of the programs. The frequency of consultation with
educational specialists is determined on an individual basis.
Sport
People with physical, mental and psychological impairments can
participate in sport activities - adapted as needed - with the horse.
These activities include riding, driving and vaulting as forms of
therapeutic recreation and competition. Activities are directed
toward the acquisition of skills leading to the accomplishment of
specific horsemanship goals. Therapeutic riding instructors are
primarily responsible for the design and implementation of the program.
Educational specialists, recreational therapists and *licensed /
credentialed health professionals may assist the instructor in a
variety of ways, and are generally involved on a consultative basis.
Recreation and Leisure
People with physical, mental and psychological impairments may
use equine activities - adapted as needed - as a recreation and
leisure experience. The emphasis is on an enjoyable and relaxing
experience that provides additional therapeutic benefits in the
areas of socialization, posture, mobility and an overall improved
quality of life. Individuals may participate in horse-related activities
to their maximum ability in an atmosphere of support, structure
and socialization for the primary purpose of the intrinsic enjoyment
of the activity.
Therapeutic Riding Instructors and recreational therapists are
primarily responsible for program development. Educational specialists
and *licensed / credentialed health professionals are generally
involved on a consultative basis.
* "Licensed / credentialed health professionals" refers
to physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language
pathologists, psychiatrists, psychologists, physicians, nurses and
rehabilitation specialists. Health professionals providing direct
service "therapy" through equine oriented activities should
have additional specialized training in the use of the horse as
a component of treatment in their respective area of expertise.
Therapy
Equine activities are used as a form of therapy to achieve physical,
psychological, cognitive, behavioral and communication goals. The
therapy is provided by a licensed / credentialed health professional.
The use of the horse involves a team approach among licensed / credentialed
health professionals, therapeutic riding instructors and clients.
The client may be treated as a group or on an individual basis directly
be the health professional.
Knowledge of the principles of classic hippotherapy is considered
essential for all licensed / credentialed health professionals who
provide direct therapy treatment using the horse. Such health professionals
also integrate the treatment principles of their professions into
the equine activites used in the treatment setting.
Several health professions, including Physical Therapy, Occupational
Therapy, Speech Pathology and Psychology, have developed specialized
forms of treatment using the horse within those professions. These
include but are not limited to, Classic Hippotherapy, Hippotherapy,
Developmental Riding Therapy, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.
Classic Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy literally means "treatment with the help of
the horse" from the Greek word, "hippos" meaning
horse. Specially trained physical and occupational therapists use
this treatment for clients with movement dysfunction.
In Classic Hippotherapy, the horse influences the client rather
than the client controlling the horse. The client is positioned
on the horse and actively responds to his movement. The therapist
directs the movement of the horse and actively responds to his movement.
The therapist directs the movement of the horse; analyzes the clients
responses; and adjusts the treatment accordingly. The goals of Classic
Hippotherapy are to improve the clients posture, balance, mobility
and function.
What is Hippotherapy?
A term that refers to the use of the horse as a tool by Physical
Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists
to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities
in patients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. This tool is
used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional
outcomes.
Hippotherapy is a treatment that uses the multidimensional movement
of the horse; from the Greek word "hippos" which means
horse. Hippotherapy uses activities on the horse that are meaningful
to the client. Treatment takes place in a controlled environment
where graded sensory input can elicit appropriate adaptive responses
from the client. Specific riding skills are not taught (as in therapeutic
riding), but rather a foundation is established to improve neurological
function and sensory processing. This foundation can then be generalized
to a wide range of daily activities.
Why the Horse?
The horse's walk provides sensory input through movement which
is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The resultant movement responses
in the client are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis
while walking. The variability of the horse's gait enables the therapist
to grade the degree of sensory input to the client, then use this
movement in combination with other clinical treatments to achieve
desired results. Clients respond enthusiastically to this enjoyable
learning experience in a natural setting.
Physically, Hippotherapy can improve balance, posture, mobility
and function. Hippotherapy may also affect psychological, cognitive,
behavioral and communication functions for clients of all ages.
Clients who may benefit from hippotherapy can have a variety of
diagnoses: examples include Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis,
Developmental Delay, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Autism and
Learning or Language Disabilities. However, hippotherapy is not
for every client. Each potential client must be evaluated on an
individual basis by specially trained health professionals.
Benefits
The Unique Feature
Students of horseback riding learn basic skills through planned
interaction and experiences with the horse. They learn not only
riding skills, but also the structure, needs, personality and environment
of a horse. They develop a sensitivity to the needs and learn all
the activities involved in the grooming, feeding, caring for and
riding these animals. Through these activities, the student develops
an awareness of his own care and needs and a sensitivity to the
needs and care of all things, living and inanimate, which he or
she can apply to everyday learning.
Major Concept & Skill Development
- Body Localization Student develops the ability to locate
and identify parts of the horse's body. This activity aids in
developing an awareness and understanding of one's own body.
- Body Abstraction Student develops the ability to generalize
and transfer body localization to himself and others.
- Muscular Strength Student develops the ability to use
his muscles to perform physical tasks with the horse.
- Health & Hygiene Student develops an understanding
of the principles of health and hygiene. In caring for the horses,
students are led to understand and utilize good habits.
- Balance & Rhythm Student develops the ability to
maintain gross and fine motor balance and to move rhythmically
with the horse. Student is continuously involved in interpreting
and reacting to the horse's movements.
- Body Spatial Organization Student develops the ability
to move in space. The majority of the activities require the student
to direct and move the horse within a given area.
- Directionality & Laterality Student develops the
ability to know and respond to right, left, up, down, forward,
backward, and directional orientation. Activities focusing on
directing the horse in a specific direction are used to aid the
student in developing sensitivity to directionality of his body
and space.
- Time Orientation Student develops an awareness of time
concepts, by involving him in determining feeding time, exercise
time, and resting time for the horse; Students develop an awareness
of the effect of weather and seasonal changes on horseback riding
activities. They learn to anticipate riding activities based on
weather conditions.
- Visual Acuity Student develops the ability to see objects
in his visual field and to differentiate them meaningfully and
accurately. Activities which require the student to direct and
move his horse around or through objects in the riding ring aid
in developing this skill.
- Visual - Form Discrimination Student develops the ability
to differentiate visually the forms and symbols in the horse's
environment. Activities in and around the stable aid in developing
this skill. A student identifies equipment, stall, food and the
name of 'his' horse.
- Anticipatory Response Student develops the ability to
anticipate the probable outcome of his behavior with the horse.
If he yells or kicks the horse, he knows the horse will probably
become frightened or run. This aids the student in predicting
the consequences of his own behavior and that of others in a given
situation.
- Comprehension Students develop the ability to use judgment
and reasoning in riding and working with the horse. This enhances
his ability to use judgment and reasoning when interaction with
other forces in his environment.
Freedom Ride
1905 Lee Road
Orlando, FL 32810
Map to Freedom Ride
Phone: (407) 293-0411
Fax: (407) 293-6280
info@freedomride.com
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