The goal in this therapy is contribute to improve the quality of life of all the persons that come to us, by using the horse and all the activities around this incredible animal.
Horses have unique muscle features, and people that know how to ride experience the agility and the harmonius movements. It represents for the rider more than way of transportation, but the freedom in movement, the power, the force in a good way. Its the basic component in a pleasant activity that can be easily grow into a trully passion. For physically challenged adults and kids, the horse is not only their means to improve and progress, but the chance of stepping out for a while of the "disabled or handicapped" dimension, in which they live, and enjoy a rehab in an environment full of rich stimulus and different from all their daily routines.
Horses are a constant source of stimulus, that at not only in a sensitive level but also in a motor, emotional, educational and cognitive level. It is one of the few comprehensive ways of rehabilitation that exist. This is nothing new. Since antique Greece, the horse was recommended as a way of regenerating the spirit and preservating the body of many diseases. In 1670 Lord Thomas Sydenham, english doctor wrote: "theres no better treatment for the body and soul than riding several hours daily".
During history course we can see different examples of how horses were used as a therapy method, but only in the late 50 years, different researches have studied the beneficial effects of therapeutic riding. Germany, Italy, England, and France were the first ones, with the United States through NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) achieving working methods and norms that shelter the ones that need it most.
It is very important to say, that this is a therapy that complement other therapies that the rider do, and that it has precise indications and contraindications.Modern therapeutic riding emerge in Denmark 1952, Helsinki olympic games, where Liz hartel won the silver medal in dressage. This person had suffered poliomyelitis and she moved around in a wheelchair. This fact called the attention of therapists, who in the search of new and effective therapies for physic and psychic illness, studied the case. The results were amazing. They found that horseback riding under certain rules a great and innovative therapy that gave excelent results. From Scandinavia therapeutic riding went pass England and years after to Canada and the United States.
In 1991 the official register of the FRDI (Federation of Riding for the Disabled International) was achieved, with headquarters in Belgium, where the divission in three areas of therapeutic riding were accepted:
- Hypotherapy.
- Therapeutic Riding and Volting.
- Horseback riding as a sport for the handicapped.
Each area is specified for different types of dissabilities, using different methods. In therapeutic riding using this term as the global term for the three areas, integrates four professional spheres: psychology, pedagogy, medicine and sport. The methods are different in each area, hypotherapy riders are the most physically challenged.
This clasification is done by NARHA (North American Riding for Handicapped Association).
Recreation: Horses and related activities are focused towards activities that promote recreation, relaxation, leisure activities. Emphasis is in offering the rider a relaxing and stimulating experience that gives also therapeutic benefits in areas such as socialization, body position, mobility and life quality.
Sports: People can join horse sports activities as long as they are adapted for each riders particular situation. They must me able of driving or riding their horse. being able of doing this and practicing horseback riding the person achieves a contentment feeling that helps increase their self steem.
Education: Equestrian activities contribute to find positive results in attentional capacity, in basic maths and reading and writing learning process, visual-motor coordination and lef-right progression.
Therapy: The horse is used as a "tool" to improve physical , psychological, educational, emotional social and communicational aspects of the rider.
- Cerebral Palsy
- Multiple Sclerosis.
- Authism.
- Down Syndrome.
- Anorexia, Bulimia.
- Intelectual Dificulties.
- Physical Dissabilities.
- Mental Illness.
- Failure to Social Adaptation.
- Déficit Atencional.
- Phobias.
- Fears.
And many more...
Physical Aspects: The rider attains body control and sensorimotor coordination (improves balance, regulates muscle tone, achieves better motor coordination gaining in faster reflexes. Attains to decrease spasticity through the horses rithmic movement, and acquires sensory conscience).
Psycological aspects: The rider attains general comfort, improving their confidence and increasing thei self steem. They develop patience, decreases their fears in situations that may be risky. Achieves self control and discipline.
Educational Aspects: The rider increases their attentional capacity, they get nearer to basic mathematical concepts, they improve their spacial control and visual and motor coordination among other things.
Social Aspects: The rider develops friendship, respect and love for people and animals and receives rewarding life experiences.
The horse has 3 characteristics that are the basis in Therapeutic Riding.
- Body heat transmission: the horse has a higher body temperature than humans and after exercising this temp increases a little bit more. This characteristic helps relax and distend muscles and ligaments and stimulate tactile sensory perception. Many patients ride without a saddle (with a horse blanket) which allows the heat to be transmitted from the horses back and sides to the pelvic zone and legs of the rider. The heat it is also important from a psycological point of view. The body temperature plus the slow and rythmic horse movement give the rider the perception of being rocked, and this generates security, love and protection feelings, which helps reconstruct self confidence, self steem and self acceptance.
- Rythmic impulse transmission: the horse through its back`s movement transmits impulses to the riders pelvic zone, spine and legs. While riding at walk 90 to 110 impluses per minute are transimitted. This forward movement forces the pelvic zone to adapt to a tilt movement. The impulses spread through the spine and cause balance reactions and trunk straighteness. From a psychological point of view this principle is very important for the simple reason that the feeling of going forward and letting someone take you, without doing anything helps to achieve a psychic relaxation and self steem.
- Three-dimensional locomotion pattern transmission: It is importnt specially in neuromotor dysfunction treatments such as cerebral paralysis. This riders live on a vicious circle, for being unable of walk by themselves, as they dont have the trunk and head stability needed. With this therapy this vicious circle is broken because of the sitting walk physiological pattern that is offered, the rider walks while sitting. This human walk pattern the rider does while riding its memorized in the brain and with time it is automated, what allows in some cases the transfer to pedestrian walk. The alternate elevations of the horse´s back are transmitted to the riders pelvis and this originates three pelvic movements (riders and horses) at the same time ( down-up, forward-backward, and righ-left).
Of course this also has a psychotherapeutic value and it is that the feeling of moving forward, walking or running, straight, with no obstacles, can make a huge positive influence in a depressive and distressed psyquic state. Being around animals also acquires great importance, because it develops in human beings socio-integrative qualities.
The horse related environment is very stimulating and offers multiple opportunities to be able of relating with others and participate actively in society. We must not forget that people that suffer any kind of dissability have few chances of enjoying of nature, having their weeks reduced to an agenda filled of different therapy sessions, and doctors appointments. The horse environment offers the "scape" to this routines.
Therapeutic Riding sessions last 30 minutes aprox. If you would like to contact us please call or e-mail.
