Bit-By-Bit Therapy

Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement as part of an integrated intervention program to achieve functional outcomes. Hippotherapy is performed on the horse. Equine assisted activities and therapies may be on or off the horse depending on the client’s needs.

For our most severely physically impaired riders, our therapists are trained in tandem hippotherapy (where the therapist sits behind the rider on the horse). Only a handful of centers nationwide can perform these intense techniques.

Powerful Treatment Strategy

Equine movement provides multidimensional movement, which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The horse provides a dynamic base of support, making it an excellent tool for increasing trunk strength and control, balance, building overall postural strength and endurance, addressing weight bearing, and motor planning.

The effects of equine movement on postural control, sensory systems, and motor planning can be used to facilitate coordination and timing, grading of responses, respiratory control, sensory integration skills, and attention skills. Equine movement can be used to facilitate the neurophysiologic systems that support all of our functional daily living skills.