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What is therapeutic horse riding?
Therapeutic horse riding, also known as an Equine Assisted Activity, or Adaptive Riding is for individuals with a range of physical, emotional, cognitive, and social disabilities/challenges.
Therapeutic Riding vs regular riding
Therapeutic riding is different from the traditional riding. Since individuals partaking in therapeutic riding have various needs that are identified, each lesson is structured to focus on the improving of that specific need and each horse is carefully chosen for that individual. For example, a person with cerebral palsy with high muscle tone (spastic) will need a horse that has a narrow trunk so that the person is not stretched too much while sitting on the horse. The horse also needs to have a steady gate so that the movement of the horse is not too bouncy which may cause the rider to have involuntary reflexes and going into spasticity. Also, the lesson needs to be structured in such a way that the rider will be able to relax, stretched and the appropriate games, exercises and activities are strategically planned and executed specific to the individual’s needs.
Benefits of therapeutic riding:
- Therapeutic riding is based on the beneficial movement of the horse. The three-dimensional, rhythmical motion of a horse stimulates and works the muscles of the rider. The input to a rider from the horse's gait is almost identical to the human gait. This three-dimensional, rhythmical motion thus stimulates and works muscles of the rider and provides normal sensory-motor input of “walking” to the rider.
- Forming a partnership with 500kg animal can offer a tremendous sense of freedom and independence to individuals with various needs and can promote feelings of trust and self-worth.In addition, exercises and tasks that would be dreary or considered a “chore” in traditional therapy settings become fun and game-like if they are part of a riding therapy session.
- Being on a horse includes that fear factor which adds a completely different aspect. Riders focus so much on the horse and accomplishing the task that they are often unaware of the actual therapy they are doing. When accomplishing these tasks it leaves individuals with an amazing sense of mastery.
- Horses reflect off of the rider and thus “mirror” the emotions or state the riders are in. Thus, if you have an anxious and/or nervous rider, you will have an anxious and/or nervous horse. This teaches riders self awareness, self control and also the awareness of how we are capable of influencing ourselves and our circumstances. Horses also help people feel in control of their situation because there is a direct correlation between action and reaction.
- The student who interacts with their horse may extend this to others and to form meaningful relationships with people. Building a relationship with an animal is very rewarding in many aspects; for a person with an emotional, social or psychological disability, the trust and loyalty of an animal demonstrates to the student how important they are and then they may extend these attributes to personal relationships
- The sometimes unpredictable nature of animals and situations also creates a real-life environment in which students will be able to confront fears and make adjustments to situations beyond their control.