Hippotherapy (HPOT)

(Speech, Physical, Occupational Therapy)(30 minutes)

The American Hippotherapy Association defines Hippotherapy as a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement as part of an integrated intervention program to achieve functional outcomes. Research suggests that Hippotherapy may have positive effects on a patient’s posture, muscle tone, and balance. The movement of the horse engages muscles used for walking and encourages postural responses which can help to improve trunk control, core strength, motor planning, sensory processing and respiratory function for speech production. RHR uses Hippotherapy to treat impairments such as abnormal muscle tone, apraxia, sensory processing disorders, gait abnormalities, and motor coordination disorders associated with medical conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, sensory integration disorder, developmental delay, brain tumors, traumatic brain injuries and neuromusculoskeletal disorders.