In the Spring of 2015, I started volunteering at Chasing Rainbows, a hippotherapy facility located in Enola, Pennsylvania. Volunteering at Chasing Rainbows wasn’t just for community service. After college, I hope to start a therapeutic riding facility, so helping out here helped me gain experience.
I started horseback riding around age 5. I didn’t start riding because my parents rode or my friends rode. I just loved horses, and I couldn’t find a sport to stick with. 10 years later, I happily own an Off-the-Track Thoroughbred, who I take to events. I have owned my horse for about 3 years and when I first bought him, he knew basic stuff, but wasn’t proficient in any skills that he needed to compete. I got into therapeutic riding when my previous …show more content…
The physical movements of equines are supplemental to people with neurological disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, and other motor dysfunctions. Multidimensional movements from the horse create a unique movement that can rarely be replicated (AHA). A rider’s pelvis reflects the movement of the horse. With the movement of the pelvis, core muscles develop and posture can/will improve. Aetna Insurance tells, “It is believed that therapeutic horseback riding can reduce spasticity, maintain and increase range of motion in the upper extremities of these children.” Building strength is not always easy for people with disabilities, and with hippotherapy, clients can overtime build core and leg muscles.
Studies have proven the benefits of Hippotherapy. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy published the abstract of a study proving this. In the experiment, 6 ASD children, ages five to twelve, were going to have twelve, forty-five minute therapy sessions. At the end of the twelve weeks, the children had decreased “postural sway” and an increase in adaptive, social behaviors and interactions. Ultimately, the psychologists deemed hippotherapy a successful regimen of therapy for children on the autism spectrum
I started horseback riding around age 5. I didn’t start riding because my parents rode or my friends rode. I just loved horses, and I couldn’t find a sport to stick with. 10 years later, I happily own an Off-the-Track Thoroughbred, who I take to events. I have owned my horse for about 3 years and when I first bought him, he knew basic stuff, but wasn’t proficient in any skills that he needed to compete. I got into therapeutic riding when my previous …show more content…
The physical movements of equines are supplemental to people with neurological disabilities, autism, cerebral palsy, and other motor dysfunctions. Multidimensional movements from the horse create a unique movement that can rarely be replicated (AHA). A rider’s pelvis reflects the movement of the horse. With the movement of the pelvis, core muscles develop and posture can/will improve. Aetna Insurance tells, “It is believed that therapeutic horseback riding can reduce spasticity, maintain and increase range of motion in the upper extremities of these children.” Building strength is not always easy for people with disabilities, and with hippotherapy, clients can overtime build core and leg muscles.
Studies have proven the benefits of Hippotherapy. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy published the abstract of a study proving this. In the experiment, 6 ASD children, ages five to twelve, were going to have twelve, forty-five minute therapy sessions. At the end of the twelve weeks, the children had decreased “postural sway” and an increase in adaptive, social behaviors and interactions. Ultimately, the psychologists deemed hippotherapy a successful regimen of therapy for children on the autism spectrum