Kaitlyn Rohling

Mrs. Kate Sneed

Capstone

31 August 2018

Therapeutic Riding

Baker, Liz. Brain Injuries and Therapeutic Riding. 2017, http://horseplayriding.org/wp-

content/uploads/2017/01/Brain-Injuries.pdf.

Therapeutic riding is very challenging, but it gives people with brain injuries the opportunity to

participate in a rewarding challenge. Therapeutic riding improves communication, but the

instructor must know how the rider communicates to help them improve. The amount of

stimulation from the horse that the brain experiences may trigger the brain’s limbic system and it

will help diminish the outbursts that the rider has. The posture that they have on the horse will

enforce good posture when they are off the horse.

Benefits of Horse Therapy. www.trinity-

ec.com/webfiles/fnitools/documents/horse_therapy_benefits.pdf .

Therapeutic riding has shown improvement in joint mobility, balance and coordination,

relaxation of spasticity, increased muscle tone, self-confidence through enhanced self-image,

improved learning, concentration, spatial awareness, and motivation to set and achieve goals.

Therapeutic riding has many different benefits for all the different disabilities. An example is

autism; therapeutic riding helps with self-esteem, the use of fine and gross motor skills, speech,

thought processing, using muscles, posture, and balance. Another example is ADD/ADHD;

therapeutic riding enhances memory, concentration, and sequential thinking.

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“Benefits of Therapeutic Riding.” Equestrian Therapy,

www.equestriantherapy.com/therapeutic-riding/.

Most special needs children are often restricted in their movements and interactions. With

therapeutic riding, the children are given the opportunity to develop independence and mobility.

The horses aid in helping the muscles of the riders relax and this increases the balance and

flexibility. Horses give the riders the feeling of stability and their weakened muscles are

stimulated.

“Benefits of Therapeutic Riding.” Kentucky Foothills Therapeutic Horsemanship Center,

www.kfthc.org/benefits-of-therapeutic-riding.html.

Riding causes communication skills to improve because the communication between the rider

and the horse at the non-verbal or verbal level results in the effective and working relationship

between the two. Riding helps the rider distinguish the differences between left, right, forwards,

and backwards as well as understanding their body in space. Riders develop an awareness to the

concept of time and how to perform takes in order.

Bower, Eva. “Therapeutic Horseback Riding.” Egyptian Journal of Medical Human Genetics,

Elsevier, 2009, www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/therapeutic-

horseback-riding.

Riding causes communication skills to improve because the communication between the rider

and the horse at the non-verbal or verbal level results in the effective and working relationship

between the two. Riding helps the rider distinguish the differences between left, right, forwards,

and backwards as well as understanding their body in space. Riders develop an awareness to the

concept of time and how to perform takes in order.

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Brinn, Jan. “The Science behind Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapeutic Riding – Part I.”

MSU Extension, 16 Jan. 2013,

msue.anr.msu.edu/news/the_science_behind_equine_assisted_activities_and_therapeutic

_riding_part_i.

The science behind therapeutic riding is about bio-physics and neurology and how the brain

always communicates with your body. Sometimes when an injury or illness occurs, the

assessment and compensation pathways are impaired and changed and this creates a disability.

Those pathways have to be rehabilitated and strengthened. Therapeutic riding has physical

benefits, psychosocial benefits, and emotional benefits.

Cerulli, Paige. “7 Reasons Why Horseback Riding Is the Best Therapy.” Wide Open Pets, Wide

Open Pets, 20 Oct. 2017, www.wideopenpets.com/7-reasons-why-horseback-riding-is-

the-best-therapy/.0

Riding requires you to be both mentally and physically strong. You have to be able to take

charge and also be understanding of the horse. As you ride you will learn emotional control

technique, and also how to forgive yourself and the horse. You learn to trust because you are

trusting your safety with the horse as well and the instructors.

“Equine-Assisted Therapy: Physical and Emotional Benefits.” Zareba® System,

www.zarebasystems.com/articles/equine-assisted-therapy.

When working with horses, you can have decreased blood pressure, lower stress levels, and

reduced feelings of tension, anger, and anxiety as well as increasing self-esteem, empowerment,

patience, and trust. For people that struggle with social interactions, working with horses gives

them much needed practice. When they build the confidence to build relationships with horses, it

helps a lot with relationships and the interaction with people.

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Esposito, Lisa. “Equine Therapy: How Horses Help Humans Heal.” U.S. News & World Report,

U.S. News & World Report, 2 Sept. 2016, health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-

advice/articles/2016-09-02/equine-therapy-how-horses-help-humans-heal.

For many, going to a therapist about PTSD or TBI does not help them, so they go to hanging

around and riding horses as an alternative. There are two different types of equine therapy:

carriage driving and on-the-ground. Carriage driving is ideal for wounded veterans, and it

addresses a variety of mental health issues. On-the-ground riding helps with memory deficits,

self-confidence, anxiety, building bonds, and hypervigilance that is related to PTSD.

“Hippotherapy.” Therapeutic-Riding, 2018, www.ridetowalk.org/Therapeutic-Riding.html.

Some of the disabilities that therapeutic riding can help are autism, brain injuries, cardiovascular

accidents, strokes, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, spina bifida, spinal cord

injuries, emotional injuries, learning disabilities, and post-polio speech impairments. Instead of

only working one muscle group at a time, riding makes your whole body respond in a rhythmic

way. Therapeutic riding also encourages the riders to have a more positive and cooperative

attitude towards other therapy.

Kuwabara, Anne, et al. “Improving the Lives of Patients with Hippotherapy: A Workshop on

‘Horses That Heal.’” Medium, Augmenting Humanity, 22 Dec. 2016,

medium.com/physiatry/improving-the-lives-of-patients-with-hippotherapy-a-workshop-on-

horses-that-heal-eb4dc6d5ea3b.

When they first begin therapeutic riding, they may not be able to stand, walk, or talk. Within a

few months of working on mastering the skills of balance, strength, self-confidence. They can be

able to tell the horse to walk and stop, they can have really good posture, and a lot more

confidence in themselves and the horses. The bond that they make with the horse during their
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time of therapy can be life changing and help them in aspects of their life that they did not

believe.

McGann, Mary Ann. “Therapy on Horseback Can Provide The Stimulation Needed To Improve

Motor Skills, Speech, And More For People With Neurological Disorders.” New Jersey

Monthly, 18 Mar. 2015, njmonthly.com/articles/top-doctors/horse-sense/.

Michael Torrens, a nine-year-old with cerebral palsy, first started therapeutic riding when he was

three and was not able to stay on the horse. He kept leaning to one side and was not stable

enough to ride on his own. Now he is able to sit up tall on the horse, still with some assistance.

Riding gave Torrens the opportunity to use more muscles than he would normally use all day due

to him being in a wheel-chair.

Smith, Cher. “Home.” PATH INTERNATIONAL, 2018, www.pathintl.org/resources-

education/resources/eaat/198-learn-about-therapeutic-riding.

The purpose for therapeutic riding is to positively contribute to the physical, emotional,

cognitive, and social well-being of people with special needs. There are a lot of individuals that

do therapeutic riding just to get the benefits in the areas of health, sports and recreation,

education, and leisure. Some think that disabilities limits them from riding horses, but it does

not. The movement of the horse when they walk helps the rider move in a similar way to the way

humans walk.

“The Benefits of Therapeutic Horseback Riding and Equine Interaction.” State Line Tack, 1 June

2018, www.statelinetack.com/content/horse-care/benefits-of-therapeutic-equine-

interaction/.

Humans and horses have always had a close relationship. When riding, small muscle movements

are necessary, and this improves the fine motor skills and manual dexterity. Students must have
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coordination and balance to mount, dismount, and stay on the horse during the whole session.

Riding also helps with core strength due to when the horse makes movements and the rider must

keep good posture. When the horse moves, the movement is to the rider’s tactile senses.

“Therapeutic Horseback Riding.” Therapeutic Horseback Riding | HorseSense for Special Riders

| La Crosse, Wisconsin, 2018, www.hssr.org/therapeutic-horseback-riding.

The physical benefits of therapeutic riding are greater strength and agility, stretching and

strengthening of underused or underdeveloped muscles, reduced spasticity, improved balance,

posture, coordination, weight-bearing ability, respiration, circulation, metabolism, and many

more. The cognitive benefits are sequencing, hand-eye coordination, decision-making, following

directions, listening skills, multi-tasking, sensory integration, and many more. The psychological

benefits are empowerment, social interactions, responsibility, independence, attention span,

patience, trust, and many more.

“Welcome.” SIRE's Corporate Sponsors – SIRE Houston Therapeutic Horsemanship, sire-

htec.org/.

Therapeutic riding can be specialized for the areas that you want to work on. For many

participants, riding is not the only part that can be therapeutic; many find saddling grooming the

horses very helpful. The physical and emotional benefits of therapeutic riding have been known

for hundreds of years.