Horses and Healing
There are certain cures that are irrefutable, like soup, mindless cartoons, or a warm bath. Some treatments, however, are more debatable. One example of a more debatable salve for ailments would be that strange but comforting elixir that only Mom knows how to make just right. Another would be the somewhat confusingly-named hippotherapy. No hippopotami are involved in this form of therapy. Instead, the name comes from the Greek word for horse — “hippos.”
Hippotherapy is a form of therapy that uses horses to help clients with physical or intellectual disabilities. One website explains that ”specially trained physical and occupational therapists use this treatment for clients with movement dysfunction. In Hippotherapy, the horse influences the client rather than the client controlling the horse. The client is positioned on the horse and actively responds to his movement. The therapist directs the movement of the horse; analyzes the clients responses; and adjusts the treatment accordingly.”
According to the American Hippotherapy Association, ”Hippotherapy has been shown to improve muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development as well as emotional well-being.” Moreover, the American Equestrian Alliance website states that this treatment could be helpful for a variety of disabilities, including but not limited to multiple sclerosis, autism, cerebral palsy, or a traumatic brain injury. I figured something with so many benefits was worth looking into.
