Hippotherapy is a therapy modality that involves the use of horses to deliver physical, occupational, or speech therapy services. On horseback, patients benefit from the rhythmic motion of the horse to build core strength and motor skills, develop balance, and more. Used with an integrated plan of care, hippotherapy is a respected, emerging option for children with physical, emotional, or developmental disorders.

A Guide to Hippotherapy

Who Can Benefit?

Children with autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, speech and language disorders, head injuries, stroke, or coordination problems may benefit from this therapy. Teens and pre-teens with depression and anxiety may also benefit from equine therapy. Hippotherapy is not recreational riding, but a carefully designed and monitored modality for delivery of physical, speech, and occupational therapy services. 

What Are the Benefits? 

The process of saddling up, mounting, and riding the horse in a controlled environment stimulates the child’s vestibular, tactile, and proprioceptive systems, which leads to sensory awareness and development. Hippotherapy positively impacts motor skills; moves the lumbar spine, hips, and pelvis; and stimulates the central nervous system. It strengthens weak or atrophied muscles and decreases spasticity. This leads to better posture, balance, mobility, core strength, and even respiration and cognition. Many children with developmental and cognitive issues enjoy and relate well to animals, so hippotherapy can also be enjoyable and motivating.

The entire sensory experience of hippotherapy is also supportive of speech and language development. Skills such as receptive language are targeted as the child learns to follow directions and commands for the horse. Expressive language is supported as the child learns new vocabulary and describes actions and objects in the new environment. Equine movement can also help build core support required for speech breathing. Finally, specific riding positions can also elicit various speech sounds. 

All For Kids works with Equine Assisted Therapy Alaska (EATA) to provide hippotherapy for clients in the summer, fall, and spring. Contact your therapist to learn more.

Hippotherapy has been used in Europe for years to augment more traditional therapies for cognitive, emotional, and developmental disorders. All for Kids Pediatric Therapy Clinic, serving Anchorage, AK, offers hippotherapy, pediatric physical therapy, occupational therapy, and more. Call (907) 345-0050 to start your child’s therapy process or visit the website for more detailed information on services.