NARHA Premier Accredited Center

What is Therapeutic Riding?
The personal goals set for each rider vary as much as the riders do. Improved physical strength, muscle tone, balance, mobility and hand-eye coordination are some of the visibly enhanced skills. The more subtle improvements are increased self-esteem, self-control and self-confidence. These goals are reached through a highly individualized lesson plan of learning to ride the horse with the instructor taking into account the rider's physical, emotional, and mental strengths and limitations. The increased attention, concentration, learning, and verbal skills that are inherent in learning to ride successfully lead to the magical bond with the horse, leading to improved social skills such as making new friends and respecting authority.

What is Hippotherapy?
Hippotherapy (from the Greek "hippo" meaning "horse") is physical therapy utilizing the unique qualities of the horse as a therapy tool. The movement of the horse at the walk mimics the rider's own pelvis movement, providing a unique opportunity that cannot be duplicated in the traditional physical therapy room. The awareness of body movement improving strength, balance, muscle tone, posture and coordination benefits speech, physical or occupational therapy patients. Conducted only with a medical professional, Hippotherapy provides the patient with a fun and stimulating way to learn or re-learn skills that have been lost or compromised.

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