What is Hippotherapy?
The term hippotherapy refers to how occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology professionals use evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning in the purposeful manipulation of equine movement to engage sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems to promote functional outcomes. Best practice dictates that occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech-language pathology professionals integrate hippotherapy into the patient’s plan of care, along with other therapy tools and/or strategies.
A typical Occupational Therapy session incorporating Hippotherapy is 30 minutes long. Other members of the team that assist in the session are the horse leader, a side walker, and of course the horse!
The lesson is mounted, meaning that the participant is ON the horse. The session may take place in the arena or on a trail around the grounds of the farm.
