Programs

What is Therapeutic Riding?

Therapeutic Riding, also known as Equine Assisted Therapy, Equine Facilitated Therapy, and Riding for the Disabled, is the use of the horse and equine-oriented activities to achieve a variety of therapeutic goals, including cognitive, physical, emotional, social, educational and behavioral goals.

Therapeutic riding is practiced in some form in most countries of the world. Great Britain originally formed the Riding for the Disabled (RDA) program to promote competition and equine sports for the disabled. Today the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) in the United States puts forward a model that incorporates therapy, education, sport and recreation/leisure activities.

What is Hippotherapy?

In addition to therapeutic riding, Hearts & Horses also offers hippotherapy. Germany and Switzerland have been in the forefront of developing and establishing hippotherapy as a medical model of equine-assisted therapy. The American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) has defined hippotherapy as “a term that refers to the use of the movement of the horse as a tool by Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech-Language Pathologists to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities in patients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction. This tool is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes.”

Benefits of Therapeutic Riding

The physical benefits of therapeutic riding are derived from the gait of the horse, which resembles a human's natural walking movement. No machine or exercise equipment can simulate all these natural body movements at once. Most riders see increases in muscle tone, improved flexibility and range of motion. The rider must adjust his or her posture to stay balanced on a horse, so equilibrium reactions are stimulated which help with balance, orientation, and body awareness.

The horse is a great equalizer for a rider. Someone who is unable to participate in other athletics can now compete in equine games and sports. A person who cannot walk gains "legs" and one who is small now has a new "higher" view of life while on horseback. The immediate gratification of independence and control is accomplished in the therapeutic riding arena. Riders are encouraged to participate as much as they can in grooming, saddling and guiding the horse. Praise and encouragement are constant from the volunteers. Riders' successes are acknowledged no matter how small.

Additional benefits for the riders while participating in therapy riding classes include: strengthening cognitive and sequential thinking, problem solving, confidence and self esteem building, exposure to positive role models and mentors, and movement toward achieving individual goals set by schools and therapists.

Therapeutic riding also promotes socialization. Instructors, therapists, volunteers, parents and riders get together. Often the social interaction becomes as important as the riding lesson. Friendships are made, acceptable behaviors are reinforced and unacceptable behaviors are discouraged. A human-animal bond develops between riders and their therapy horses as riders discover that the horses are gentle, friendly, accepting, and do not see disabilities.

Disability	Benefits of Therapeutic Riding
ADD/ADHD	Enhances memory, sequential thinking, concentration, uses mental/physical/tactile skills to focus attention on horse/rider team.
Autism	Physical and verbal activity helps to focus outer awareness on other people and the horses.
Cerebral Palsy	Physical activity helps with balance, posture, and motion in the joints. Interactive speech uses thought and physical processes.
Developmentally Delayed	Riders are applauded for each success, provides a great alternative sport, helps with social and physical development.
Down Syndrome	Helps with self-esteem, use of fine and gross motor skills, thought processing and speech, physical exercise tones muscles, helps with posture and balance.
Emotional Disability	Riders are given sincere encouragement, helps with self-esteem, builds self-confidence, must concentrate outside of self to develop horse management skills.
Eye Disorders	Physically enhances gross and fine motor control, develops muscles and symmetry. Requires attention to sequencing, thought process, communication skills.
Head Injury	Helps to rebuild physical/mental skills, improves, posture, balance, fine and gross motor skills.
Learning Disability	Enhances skills needed to learn, sequential thinking, eye-hand coordination, attention span, physical skills strengthens balance, fine and gross motor skills. Interaction with horse, staff and other riders uses language skills.
Multiple Sclerosis	Provides an individualized recreational program, social stimulation, physically enhances muscles and balance.
Speech Disorders	Enhances skills needed for communication with other people and the horses in alternative sport activity. Builds self-esteem in caring environment.
Stroke	Helps to re-acquire symmetrical use of body, strengthens muscles, balance, motor skills and improves speech processes.
Traumatic Brain Injury	Provides caring atmosphere to try new skills and interact with people and horses. Physically helps with balance, motor skills and posture. Mentally requires use of preception, sequencing, and speech processes.

Measuring Success

Short and long term goals are set for each individual rider at the time of his or her evaluation. The therapist, instructor, school, parents, and rider formulate these goals. Generally, we expect to see an increase in the rider's physical ability, focus on task, sense of self-esteem, self-control, socialization and communications skills, and awareness of the world. This may take place in minute increments or large changes.

The instructor maintains records of the rider's progress. Quantitative statistics of our riding program are being compiled to document the benefits gained from equine therapy. We use feedback from our riders' caregivers, teachers, counselors, and school resource officers as evaluation tools. The instructors and board of directors continually evaluate the results of our therapeutic riding program. These findings help us to change our program to meet the needs of individual clients and the riding class as a whole.

As a United Way agency, we are following an Outcome Measurement format. We are objectively measuring our riders' increases in posture, stamina, self-control, and communication. For example, results from June 2002 to July 2003 show these improvements:

Physical: At Hearts & Horses, physical endurance was increased by 75% in riders with this goal.

Behavioral: Coping skills among riders at Hearts & Horses were increased by 72% and frustration while on horseback was reduced by 91%.

Emotional: At Hearts & Horses, 70% of the riders knew the names of their instructors and/or volunteers by the end of the session and 76% encouraged other to try new tasks.

Facility

Hearts & Horses, Inc. is located just west of Loveland, Colorado. Our facility meets and/or exceeds the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).