Hippotherapy - therapeutic horse riding is practiced in many countries as an effectively proven method in the treatment of disorders of various spectrum. The horse has been considered a healing animal since ancient times, it is known from historical sources that soldiers who spent a lot of time in the saddle very quickly recovered after injuries and wounds.
What is hippotherapy?
Hippotherapy (dr.g. ἵππος - horse) is a correctional-rehabilitation method, referring to the animal therapy and based on therapeutic horse riding, which includes specially selected exercises. It is an auxiliary method to traditional types of treatment. What treats hippotherapy:
- neurological disorders;
- Cerebral palsy;
- autism spectrum disorders;
- arthritis of various etiologies;
- multiple sclerosis;
- hearing and vision impairment;
- behavioral disorders;
- stroke (rehabilitation).
Hippotherapy for children
Hippotherapy - horseback riding in order to improve the physical and emotional state of children with various disorders gives a number of positive therapeutic effects. A horse is a unique animal with a special positive energy, when interacting with it, children have better rehabilitation processes. Performing exercises on horseback, necessary motor skills are formed.
Hippotherapy for children with cerebral palsy
Today, hippotherapy for disabled children is becoming very relevant and in demand. Children's cerebral palsy is characterized by multiple symptoms and is registered in 2 newborns out of 1000. Hippotherapy with cerebral palsy contributes to:
- elimination of the negative impact of hypodynamia;
- restoration of motor functions;
- improvement of physical and mental health indicators.
The effectiveness of therapeutic horse riding in cerebral palsy is determined by the factors:
- Inclusion in the work of the entire muscle corset without volitional participation and brain activity (on conventional simulators it is difficult to achieve, because a child with cerebral palsy does not understand what muscles should be strained).
- Massage with thermal effect. During the movement, from horse to person passes up to 100 motor impulses, which contribute to squeezing, stretching, rotation of certain parts of the body. The child begins to realize movement.
- There is a maturation of mental processes.
Hippotherapy for children with autism
Disorders of the autism spectrum in modern children is the reality of today, with each passing year the percentage of such children increases. Autism is difficult to treat, but parents who devote much attention to the development of their child see significant improvements in the condition. Hippotherapy for autism is structured as follows:
- Preparatory part. The goal is to form a child with autism with the ability to wait patiently without hysteria. The child puts on a helmet and prepares a treat for the animal, then goes to the mansion.
- Mounting. The tasks of the stage are: overcoming oneself in the need to interact with the hippotherapist and the horse - this is very difficult for an autistic person who is used to being in his "shell". Coordination is developing.
- Individual selection of exercises.
- Hitching and expressing gratitude to the horse.
Hippotherapy for children with CPD
The variety of violations in the course of the DSS as a whole leads to a great current problem of the child's readiness for school. Hippotherapy for the disabled and children with mental retardation (RDA) has a multifactorial effect, unlike other corrective methods. Results of hippotherapy with DDP:
- the emotional state is stabilized;
- readiness for educational activity is formed;
- mastering the skills of riding, the child learns to be independent and successful;
- increased self-esteem ;
- formed concentration, perseverance;
- develop analytical skills;
- Developed motor skills have a positive effect on the development of brain structures.
Hippotherapy for adults
Classes hippotherapy does not have age restrictions, only contraindications associated with severe diseases. Adults are slower to achieve results than children, and rehabilitation can be stretched in time, but this is not a reason for despair and if there is a strong desire to improve one's self-esteem, the constant and systematic approach is important. There are cases when people who came to practice therapeutic horse riding after 50, achieved significant results and participated in paralympic dressage.
Hippotherapy - treatment
Hippotherapy with cerebral palsy and other serious ailments is based on specially designed exercise complexes, which have proved their effectiveness for many years. Medical horseback riding is always an individual approach to the patient. The treatment is carried out during exercises, and the emotional contact that has developed: man is the horse, which brings the nervous system into equilibrium.
Hippotherapy - Exercises
All lessons with horses are conducted under the supervision of the hippotherapist and are complicated gradually. For people with health restrictions, it is important to use a saddle for hippotherapy, which is specifically designed with the advice of doctors. Hippotherapy - exercises on horses for beginners:
- Starting position No. 1 - sit on horseback, facing her head, hands freely lowered along the trunk. The instructor guides the horse, which first goes by slow, short steps, interlacing long and making stops. The task is to learn how to keep the balance, keeping the back straight.
- Starting position number 2 - sit astride, facing the horse's tail. The goal is to keep the balance, the horse goes through intermittent steps (short, long).
- The starting position number 3 is to sit sideways, while the face is turned to the right or to the left (the direction of the turn is determined by the hippotherapist based on the characteristics of the patient). The instructor guides the horse, the same maneuvers are performed as in the previous two positions.
Hippotherapy - posture correction:
- sitting astride a standing horse, alternate inclinations of the right and left hands are made to the opposite leg;
- torso of the trunk forward and back;
- Do the same exercises on a moving horse.
Hippotherapy - contraindications
The benefits of training with horses are multifaceted and have a powerful therapeutic effect. The harm of hippotherapy is found in cases where there were contraindications, and there was no consistency with the doctor for conducting classes. Hippotherapy is strictly contraindicated in the following cases:
- severe congenital and acquired deformities of the spine;
- acute mental states;
- obesity of the third degree;
- hemophilia ;
- muscular dystrophy;
- high intracranial pressure;
- tumors of various genesis;
- Down's syndrome with congenital anomalies of the cervical and lumbar spine;
- myopia (high grade);
- glaucoma;
- any inflammatory diseases in an acute period;
- cholelithiasis;
- multiple kidney stones;
- postoperative period.
Hippotherapy - books
From the literature below it can be seen that hippotherapy has ample opportunities and will be useful for reading to parents who have children with disabilities, as well as those who are not indifferent to equestrian sport. List of books:
- " Meet - Hippotherapy " D. Biknell, H. Henne, D. Uebb. A brochure-guide for hippotherapy with a description of methods for working with disabled children.
- " Hippotherapy. Medical horse riding »Д.М. Tsvetava. The book examines the methods of hippotherapy to improve the condition in diseases: cerebral palsy, autism, violation of posture, osteochondrosis, attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome.
- "A horse in psychotherapy, hippotherapy and curative pedagogy. " Reader. Communication with horses opens up new opportunities for adults and children with disabilities, relieves anxiety, aggression, and treats depression. Hippotherapy - the methods developed by German specialists for several years and showed the effectiveness, they can be read on the pages of the textbook.
- " Prophylaxis and treatment of scoliosis with equestrian sport " Tsvetava. In this book, the author considers employment with horses not as a form of therapeutic physical education, but as a full-fledged sport.
- " Guide to riding " J. Bicknell, H. Henne, J. Webb. Social rehabilitation, along with medical, is important for children with disabilities. The brochure contains useful materials on hippotherapy.