What is hippotherapy and does it help you recover?.

The method of the ancient Greeks, which is still used today.

What is hippotherapy

Hippotherapy is a method of rehabilitation using horses. It is used to treat and improve the condition of people with physical, mental and emotional disorders.

Hippotherapy includes horse riding and communication with animals: feeding horses, caring for them, classes with or without an instructor.

The American Hippotherapy Association proposes to separate hippotherapy from adaptive riding. The second type of activity is used to teach horseback riding to people with special needs, but is not used for rehabilitation and habilitation, a process that aims to help people with disabilities acquire or maintain skills needed in everyday life.

How did hippotherapy come about?

The ancient Greeks began using horses for medicinal purposes. They conducted horseback riding to lift the spirits of terminally ill people.

In the 5th century BC, Hippocrates in his teachings spoke about the healing rhythm of horseback riding and proposed the use of hippotherapy, for example, to combat insomnia and improve muscle tone.

Medical books from the 7th century also mention the use of horseback riding to treat moral decline, nervous disorders and even gout.

Hippotherapy gained popularity already in the 20th century. In 1952, Denmark's Lise Hartel took second place in the equestrian competition at the Helsinki Olympics. Then it became known that several years earlier she had suffered from polio and was completely paralyzed. She was helped to recover by working with a physiotherapist, and later with a horse. At the time of her illness, she was already a professional horsewoman. And as soon as she could move her arms and legs enough, she got back on the horse. The public perceived such success as the healing power of horse riding.

After this, in the 1960s, therapeutic riding centers began to open in Europe, the United States and Canada. And the direction got its name - hippotherapy. Now it is a separate discipline with established principles.

What properties are attributed to hippotherapy?

It is believed that rehabilitation with the participation of horses helps with injuries, pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, such as cerebral palsy, and with speech and mental disorders. Hippotherapy should develop coordination of movements, provide new sensory sensations and calm.

This method is often offered to children with autism in the expectation that their communication abilities will improve as a result. It is easier for a child to establish contact and form an attachment with an animal.

Various specialists use hippotherapy as a tool in their work:

•  Physical therapists use equine activities to train gait, balance, postural control, strengthen muscles, and increase range of motion.
• Occupational therapists use horse movement to improve attention, coordination, balance, performance and sensory processing.
• Speech therapists believe that hippotherapy improves speech, cognitive and chewing functions.

The therapeutic effect of classes, according to supporters of the method, is based on three principles: 

1. The horse's movements mimic the normal movements of the human pelvis during walking. This increases the elasticity and flexibility of the rider's pelvic ligaments.
2. Vibrations of the animal's body are transmitted to the rider. He has to use different muscle groups and coordinate his movements in order to stay on top of the horse. This improves the patient's balance and muscle control.
3. A horse's body temperature is 2 °C higher than that of a human - 38–38.8 °C. This helps the rider relax and stretch the muscles and ligaments more effectively.

How do hippotherapy sessions work?

At the first stage, it can be passive riding - that is, a person sits or even lies on a horse, and the instructor controls it and selects the appropriate rhythm of movement. At a more advanced level, the instructor allows the rider to independently control the horse or perform exercises on it: bending the body, throwing legs and others.

If the patient has emotional or mental disorders, the specialist can offer communication with the horse: feeding the animal, caring for it, even braiding the mane.

Does hippotherapy really work?

A systematic review of studies of equine treatments for mental disorders found that evidence of effectiveness is still insufficient.

But the authors of more recent studies have noted that in children with autism, interacting with animals can reduce stress and anxiety. Although positive changes in the emotional state are most likely associated with the production of the hormone oxytocin while caring for an animal. It creates a feeling of affection and trust. At the same time, the hormone can also be produced in response to other pleasant actions - for example, hugging.

Hippotherapy can also be used as an auxiliary tool for the rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy in combination with basic treatment methods. And the American Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation recommends the use of exercises with horses during recovery from myelitis in combination with swimming.

In general, therapy with different animals is usually criticized because it is not certain that it was the animal that had a positive effect on the patient, and not the classical treatment.

When hippotherapy is definitely not suitable

Hippotherapy has absolute contraindications. These include:

• Mental disorders that may put someone at risk. For example, suicidal tendencies, a tendency to cruelty to animals, aggressive behavior of the patient.
• Acute herniated disc.
• Degeneration of the hip joint.
• Epilepsy that cannot be treated with drugs.
• Allergy to horse hair.
• Some conditions during an exacerbation, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

It is also not recommended to conduct classes if movement on a horse causes pain for the patient or he cannot stay in the saddle due to physical health conditions.

Is hippotherapy safe?

When exercising on a horse, there is a risk of falling and getting injured. As a result, the condition may become even more severe than it was before the fall. The instructor’s task is to do everything to minimize these risks.

The three pillars of safety in hippotherapy are:

• A trained instructor who knows how to control a horse.
• A properly selected horse that is the right size for the patient, has a predictable temperament, and is trained to interact calmly with people and listen to the instructor.
• Safety equipment during exercise: helmet and restraint straps.