BrendaArisman

English12/period4
SeniorProjectPaperFinalDraft
10October2013

EquineTherapy
Horses,alsoknownasEquine,havebeenaroundforroughly55millionyears.(RobertBoumis,
HowLongHaveHorsesRoamedtheEarth?)TheywerefirstseenasPaleolithiccaveart,the
horsesinthepaintingsresembledwildanimals.ItisthoughtthattruedomesticationofEquinedidnt
occurfortensofthousandsofyearstocome.Throughouthistory,horseshavebeenusedforridingand
forpullingcarriages,chariots,plows,andcarts.Theyplayedagiantrollinwarbycarryingsoldiersinto
battle.Becausethefirstdomesticatedhorsesarethoughttohavebeenquitesmall(LauraKlappenbach,
"DomesticationofHorses"),itismorelikelythattheywereusedtopullcartsthanforriding.Inthe
year460BC(IsmaelPintoEquineTherapyAssociation,"TheHistoryandDevelopmentofEquine
Therapy)thetherapeuticbenefitsofequinewereseeninthephysicalaspectofridingandthe
companionshipsonthoselongtrucks.Theearlystudieswereamazing.Horsesinactionimprovedthe
balance,motionandcontrolmuscleofmypatientssaidFrenchneurologist,Chassaignacin
1875.(IsmaelPintoEquineTherapyAssociation,"TheHistoryandDevelopmentofEquine
Therapy)Hesawhispatientsbenefitingphysicallyandemotionally.Thisstudyin1875(IsmaelPinto
EquineTherapyAssociation,"TheHistoryandDevelopmentofEquineTherapy)carriedalltheway
topresentday.ItisvastlyusedhelpingparthlegitsfromtheWartoDownSyndromeadultsand
children.Themedicalbenefitsareoutstandingbutarelocalinsurancecompaniesseemtonotseethe

Awefactor.TheMedicalInsurancecompaniesshouldnotdefytheneedsdemandedbytheir
Claimersthatpaythousandsforinsurance.Innowayshoulditbelegalforfamiliestobeforcedtopay
outofpocketforEquineTherapywhentheirInsurancecaneasilycoverit.
EquineTherapyusuallyincludesinstructioninhorsecare,groomingprocedures,saddlery,and
basicequitation.Safetyisthenumberonepriorityforallparticipantsinequinetherapy.Participants
oftenwearhelmetsandotherprotectivegeariftheyshouldfallfromahorseduringatherapeutic
session.(EquinePsychotherapy,"WhatIsEquineTherapy?)Theypracticenumerousgamestesting
theirphysicalandmentalstates.Gamesusuallyplayedareoneswhenyouhavefourringsalldifferent
colorsandyouasktheriderwhatcolorringtheywanttoplaceonthepolelocatedabouttwofeetaway
fromthehorsesside.PopulargamesatWalkerCreekRanchinWoodacre,CAaretheoneswhenthe
horseskickoversizedsoccerballsintogoals.Teachingthechildrenhowtosteerwithusingrightsand
leftsandthetwistingoftheirspines.EquineTherapyisalsopracticedbyallowingthehorseandrider
alonetimeontheground.Havingtheriderbrushandjustbeinthepresenceisveryhelpful.(Lawrence
Robinson,"TheBenefitsofPets:CaringforaPetCanMakeYouHappier,Healthier)Disable
adultsandchildrenareabletoeaseloneliness,reducestress,andpromotesocialinteractionwiththe
actsofTherapeuticpets.(LawrenceRobinson,"TheBenefitsofPets:CaringforaPetCanMake
YouHappier,Healthier)
Whenwatchingahumanrideahorseyousaythereisnowaytherecouldpossiblebeworking
out.Itseemssoeffortlessjustsittingontherebackandwalkingaround.Manypeopledoubtthe
physicalworkoutthatisgiven.Horseshavefourgaits(speeds).Fromfastesttoslowestyouhavegallop,
canter,trot,andwalk.Withthesegaitsyouhavetosimultaneousmatchyourmovementofyourbody
withthehorsesstride.Thiscreatesthemovementofwalkingwithyourhipsrockingbackandforthwith

thehorsesstride.(U.S.NationalLibraryofMedicine,NationalCenterforBiotechnology
Information)InEquineTherapythisisagreattoolbecausemanypatientshaveseveredisorderssuch
asCerebralPalsy,TraumaticBrainInjury/Stroke,Impairedbalanceresponsesandetc.(TheAmerican
HippotherapyAssociation,"HippotherapyAsATreatmentStrategy)Ithelpsminicyourbodyinto
thethoughtofwalkingwhilealsogivinggreatpleasuretothepatientbyjustinteractingwiththeleaderof
thehorseandhorse.
InsuranceistakenveryseriouslywithEquineTherapy.Ittakesmorethanjustgeneralinsurance
tocovereveryaspect.FortheFacilityitneedstohaveitbasicpropertyandBodilyinsurance.Thenit
hastobeabletoofferinsurancetotheiremployees.ItsaverydelicateprocessbuttheProfessional
AssociationofTherapeuticHorsemanshipInternational,alsoknownasPATHIntel.,hasbeenabletofit
everyneed.Foundedin1969topromoteequineassistedactivitiesandtherapiesforindividualswith
specialneeds,morethan4,200PATHIntl.instructorshavehelpedinexcessof56,000childrenand
adultsfindstrengthandindependencethroughinvolvementwithhorses.PATHIntel.hasinsuredover
seventhousandorganizationsallovertheUnitedStates,includingGiantStepsinPetaluma.(PATH
International,"LearnaboutEAAT")PATHIntel.Notonlyinsuresfacilitiesitalsoofferstrainingdays
fortheirinstructors.Makingsuretheyarethefinestoutthereandcanrunasafeoperation.(PATH
International,Membership)
RecentlyPATHIntel.haspartnerwiththeWoundedWarriorProject(WWP)andthe
AmericanPaintHorseAssociation,alsoknownasAPHA.(PATHInternational,Membership)
APHAhasbeenawardingscholarshipstoinstructorsgoingthoughtherethreeweekworkshopsin
whichyouarecertifiedtobeatherapeuticinstructor.The$800scholarshiphelpstrainnewinstructors
forEquineTherapy.PATHIntelandAPHAareallowinganewwayforpeopletogetintoTherapeutic

riding.WithintheWoundWarriorProjectPATHIntel.isnowofferingtoprovideequineassisted
activitiesandtherapiesforWWPalumniforfree.(PATHInternational,Membership)PATHIntel.is
notonlylookingtogettherenameouttherebuttohelpthepeoplethatneedititthemost.Itisvery
importantthatEquineTherapyisabletobesharedwitheveryoneandthatisPATHIntel.solemission.
Itnotonlywantstocoverthecaretakersbutthefacilityitself.
BrendaFalcoavolunteeratWalkerCreekispuzzledabouttheinsurancebehindEquine
Therapy.Falcohasbeenvolunteeringforoversevenyearsnowandseesthebenefitsthathorsesgive
physicallyandmentally.IhavepersonallyseenadvanceswithinEquineTherapy.Iseechildren
everydaygrowingslowlybutsurelywiththeprocessoftheonehourlessonsperweek.Idon't
understandhowinsurancesarentwillingtobackupsuchalifechangingprocess.Falcoshealth
insuranceiscoveredbyKaiserPermanente.WhenIaskedifKaisercoverEquineTherapyshe
respondedwithastrongno.FalcoseesKaiserasawesternmedicinenotveryacceptingofother
medicalalternatives.(BrendaFalco,AdvisorInterview)Theacceptanceamong
governmentsponsoredinsurancevariesbystate.Insomestates,suchasinTexasandMaryland,
Medicaidcoverstherapyusingahorse.Butin2012,Floridadeclaredthatthistypeoftherapynolonger
coveredbyMedicaid.(LoriJohnston,"SomeHealthInsuranceCompaniesHesitatetoCoverTreatment
UsingHorses")GovernmentsponsoredinsuranceonlyliketocovernetworkproviderssuchasHealth
andDentalcare.(TexasDepartmentofInsurance,"Physicians&HealthProviders")Equinetherapy
andHypnotherapyareseenasoutofnetworkprovidersbecausetheyarenotbackedupbyhuge
corporations.Thisisthedownfallbecausetherearen'tanyreallysortofbigEquineTherapy
corporationsthatareinvolvedwiththeinsuranceaspectofthegovernment.Theytendtostayasmall
businessinaway.

EquineTherapyisnotonlyseenexpensivebutdangerous.Manyinsurancesdon'twanttoback
uppotentiallylifethreateningacts.Horsesareseenverydangerousandunreliable.Carrytakerscan
neverfullyknowwhatisgoingtohappenwhenakidscreamsjustloudenough.Obviously,insurance
companiesarenotexcitedabouttakingonanymorecoverageorexposurethantheyhaveto,says
BrentAllen,ownerofAllenFinancialInsuranceGroupinArizona(LoriJohnston,"SomeHealth
InsuranceCompaniesHesitatetoCoverTreatmentUsingHorses").Itsagambleandmost
insurancesarenotwillingtotakeit.Militaryinsuranceisnotwillingtocoverit.JenniferSamuelsfamilyin
TexasqualifiesundertheMilitaryinsuranceandasksforthemtocoverEquineTherapyfortheiryoung
daughterKaitlynwithseverecongenitalbrainabnormalitiesandsuffersfromseverescoliosisbutthe
Militaryrefusesto.(AmericaFOXNews,FamilyFightsMilitaryInsuranceforDaughter'sHorse
Therapy)ThefamilydiscoveredthatthecoveragewaswithdrawnbecauseKaitlynwasreceiving
hippotherapy,whichisnotcovered,ratherthanphysicaltherapy,whichiscovered(LoriJohnston,
"SomeHealthInsuranceCompaniesHesitatetoCoverTreatmentUsingHorses").Hippotherapy
isaformofphysical,occupationalandspeechtherapyinwhichatherapistusesthecharacteristic
movementsofahorsetoprovidecarefullygradedmotorandsensoryskills.(MerriamWebster.
"Hippotherapy")Thiswasnotabletobecoveredbecauseitwasnottobeseenbeneficialfortheyoung
girlsweakback.Thisstrikesthequestionwhy?Ifthefamilyhasbeenabletoseechangeswhyaren't
themilitaryacceptingthetruth.Insuranceismadetohelpbutwontcovertheveryonethingthathelps
theirchildKaitlyn.
HorsesprovideonethingthatHealthinsurancecanneverandthatisinsight.Horsesareableto
allowthepatientstohavecompletecontrol.Whichwheninahospitalyouareleftoutinthedarkalways
questioningtheiractionsandyours.Horsesareabletotendtoyourslightestcuesinwhichyoudon't

evenrememberasking.AmyGerberry,directorofRemudaRanchinVirginiahasaeatingdisorders
treatmentprogramthatrequiresequinetherapy.Thehorsesofferapure,nonjudgmentalrelationshipfor
patients.Theanimalsarentconcernedwiththeirappearanceorhowmuchtheyweigh.(JohnGrohol,
"EquineAssistedPsychotherapy:HealingTherapyorJustHype?)Animalsallowalessthreatening
atmospheretotroubledhumans.Inahumansnatureitisnotunheardofjudgingoneanotherontheir
looksandactions.Manypatientswitheatingorothermentalhealthdisordershaveexperiencedtrauma.
whichmakesitdifficultforthemtotrustothersandfeelsafe.Patientsmightbeunwillingtoopeningupto
atherapistandexpressingtheirfeelings.Equinetherapycanserveasafirststepinhelpingindividuals
breakthroughthesebarriersandbecomemorecomfortablewheretheircurrentsurroundings.
Ultimately,itisveryclearthattheclaimerofinsuranceiswillingtoexercisetheirrightoftheir
insuranceandarewantingtobaseittoEquineTherapy.Manyclaimantsstillstruggleunderthefactthat
theinsurancescompanieshavedeemeditlackingofbeneficialneedstothereclients.Whilethese
insurancesclientsaretheonesaskingfortheprovidingcoveragethattheyaredeniedofevenafterthey
paytherethousandsofdollarsayear.EquineTherapyshouldnotbeseenasanexpensivetreatmentto
thethelowincomeoraveragemiddleclassamericanfamilies.Itshouldbeseenasarighttobeallowed
thebestmedicalinsurancecoveragethatisabletohelphumanswiththeneedsthatwedeserve.

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