 Turning Pointe Therapeutic Riding "Where Horses Enrich Lives" |
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Hippotherapy derives its name from the Greek "hippos", which means "horse". It is a therapy that uses the movement of the horse as a tool by specially NARHA/AHA certified, licensed physical, occupational, and speech therapists. It is used to address specific impairments, functional limitations and disabilities in patients with neuromuscular dysfunction. In hippotherapy, the movement of the horse influences the client. The client is positioned on the horse and actively responds to its movement. The therapist directs the movement of the horse: analyzes the client's response; and adjusts the treatment accordingly. It does not teach specific skills, but rather provides a foundation of improved neuromotor and sensory processing that can be generalized to a wide range of activities outside of treatment. This tool (the movement of the horse as directed by the therapist) is used as part of an integrated treatment plan as prepared by local school IEP's and/or other local health professionals for the clients whose goals are to achieve functional outcomes in physical, occupational or speech therapy. The principles of hippotherapy are:
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