First of all, I would like to share some facts about riding for special children or Hippotherapy (from wikipedia).

History

Derived from the word "hippos', the Greek word for horse, the term "hippotherapy" literally means treatment or therapy aided by a horse. The concept of hippotherapy finds its earliest recorded mention in the ancient Greek writings of Hippocrates . However, hippotherapy as a formalized discipline was not developed until the 1960s, when it began to be used in Germany , Austria , and Switzerland as an adjunct to traditional physical therapy . In Germany, hippotherapy was a treatment by two physiotherapists , a specially trained horse and horse handler. The theories of physiotherapy practice were applied, with the physiotherapist giving directives to the horse handler as to the gait, tempo, cadence, and direction for the horse to perform. The movement of the horse was carefully modulated to influence neuromuscular changes in the patient. The first standardized hippotherapy curriculum would be formulated in the late 1980s by a group of Canadian and American therapists who traveled to Germany to learn about hippotherapy and would bring the new discipline back to North America upon their return. The discipline was formalized in the United States in 1992, with the formation of the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA). Since its inception, the AHA has established official standards of practice and formalized therapist registration and certification processes for hippotherapists in the United States.

Modern Hippotherapy

Equine-assisted therapy is the umbrella term for any specially trained licensed health professional who incorporates the equine environment into a treatment session within their scope of practice and professional designation. Equine assisted therapy is the umbrella term which lists hippotherapy and equine assisted psychotherapy. Licensed physical , occupational therapists , physical and occupational therapy assistants and speech and language pathologists incorporate the horse's movement (hippotherapy) into their total plan of care for their patients.

In the mental health industry, social workers , psychologists and mental health providers may incorporate equine assisted psychotherapy into their treatment sessions. This is different from hippotherapy where the movement of the horse influences or facilitates an adaptive response in the patient. Forms of equine assisted psychotherapy may have the patient on the horse or off the horse and the treatment is not focused on a set of specific movements for the horse to produce an adaptive response in the patient.

The Role of the horse

Hippotherapy comes from the Greek roots hippo-, for horse and the word therapy, thus meaning "therapy with the help of a horse". The horse's pelvis has the same three dimensional movement of the human's pelvis at the walk. The horse's three dimensional movement is carefully graded at the walk in each treatment for the patient. This three dimensional movement provides physical and sensory input, which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The variability of the horse's gait enables the therapist to grade the degree of input to the patient and use this movement in combination with other treatment strategies to achieve desired therapy goals or functional outcomes. In addition, the three-dimensional movement of the horse's pelvis leads to a movement response in the patient's pelvis which is similar to the movement patterns of human walking. A foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing, which can be generalized to a wide range of daily activities and address functional outcomes and therapy goals.

Hippotherapy can only be provided by a licensed physical therapist, occupational therapist or speech and language pathologist. Adults and children with disabilities can improve their posture, muscle tone, coordination, balance, sensory/motor development as well as speech and language skills when hippotherapy is incorporated into a total care plan for a patient.

Professional practice

The equine therapy is especially useful in a wide range of health disorders:

• Different types of paralysis
• Down Down Syndrome
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Epilepsy
• Alzheimer
• Autism
• Cerebral atrophy

What can Hippotherapy help with?

• Gross motor skills
• Speech and language abilities
• Articulation
• Oral motor skills
• Respiration and postural/core control
• Fine motor skills
• Sensory processing
• Behavioral and cognitive abilities

Uses in Physical, Occupational, Speech & Language Therapies

Physical therapists who have had special training in hippotherapy will incorporate the three-dimensional movement of the horse to achieve gait training goals, balance goals, postural/core control goals, and strengthing and stretching. Improvement in gross motor skills and functional activities for developing children with disabilities are gained as the natural environment and variability of the horse's gait present as new and unique to a child. Coordination and balance as well as equilibrium skills are addressed through the variability of the horse's movement as well as the rhythm, tempo and cadence of the horses movement.

In Occupational therapy a specially trained occupational therapist will incorporate hippotherapy, the movement of the horse, to modulate and organize the sensory systems. Sensory processing via hippotherapy simultaneously addresses the vestibular , proprioceptive , tactile , visual , olfactory , and auditory systems. The occupational therapist will incorporate the movement of the horse, hippotherapy, to modulate the sensory system in preparation for a therapy or treatment goal and lead to a functional activity. The reciprocal three dimensional movement of the horse helps with the development of fine motor skills, visual motor skills, bilateral control and cognition as well.

Although many people associate hippotherapy with physical therapy, hippotherapy as a speech and language therapy strategy is growing more common. Hippotherapy uses a horse to accomplish traditional speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing goals. Carefully modulated, well-cadenced equine movement offers an effective means of addressing speech and language deficits through facilitation of the physiological systems that support speech and language function. Using hippotherapy, appropriate sensory processing strategies have been integrated into the treatment to facilitate successful communication.

Riding for special children at Bangkok Saddle Club

Jessica

At Bangkok Saddle Club, we open for special children. In the past and present we have had many special children learned riding here.

What they will learn here.

Children will start with getting familiar with our ponies, they can pat them, feed them, and brush them. Then the children will learn how to sit on the ponies with side walkers. Normally in the lesson, instructors encourage riders to start their lesson with mounting exercise such as circle their arms, swing their legs, lift right and left knees up and down, bend upper body down to touch their toes. Then later in the lesson, instructor will let the children play some games to improve their balance, concentration, gross and fine motor skills. Some of the games we play : throwing ball into the bucket, knocking down the dolls, picking up stuffs, finding the eggs around the arena. Moreover, the children will also improve their balance by sitting sideway and backward activities.

In lesson, the instructor will teach easy instructions for children to practice, starting with saying whoaaaa...which means stop. Squeesing legs on pony's sides means "Go". These are just some part of our lessons. What is important is children learn to communicate with others and have more confidence when they learn to ride.

Feeding the ponies is one of our children's favorite activity. Children learn to focus on other people more and morewhen they play with ponies. They communicate with ponies. Most children wait for their riding day, to come here for a ride and also feeding their friends!

Results

So far, we have very good result of this program. Some parents share us the story about their children have more concentration at school, and start to play with their friends more and more.

Interested in Riding for special children program, please contact us.
Call (02) 995-7751, (089) 926-9295 (K.Maew)
or email : theoffice@bangkoksaddleclub.com