Hippotherapy and Pediatric
Speech Therapy

A pediatric speech therapy session with hippotherapy can last anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. It’s largely dependent on the goals that we’ve set together, as well as your child’s preferences.

In some cases, we’re working on a specific issue, such as improved pronunciation or overcoming a stutter; in other cases, we’re working to encourage more vocabulary. Their unique goals will influence the length of the appointment.

Also, as the therapist gets to know your child better, we’re better able to gauge their attention span and tailor the session to be most enjoyable and effective for them.

Not all of the time is spent atop the horse; it’s typically an average of 15-20 minutes per session. The rhythm generated by the walking horse helps strengthen the child’s motor pathways; the physical control required to stay on the horse helps improve their breathing. Both of these things contribute to speech goals.

However, there are other ways the horse helps in speech development. As your child does other activities with them (like brushing them or feeding them some hay), it builds a relationship. That’s often enough to open a whole new world of confidence and communication. And that time together is priceless.

Speech therapy by itself is frequently suggested in these instances.

• Your child has some trouble articulating certain sounds or words.
• Your child only uses a small number of words (less than 20 or so) or uses the same word for different things.
• Your child has trouble understanding simple statements or directions.
• Your child has a stutter.
• Your child becomes unusually quiet in social situations.
• Your child’s speech is unintelligible.
• Your child is challenged by autism. This often gets in the way of clear communication.

The addition of hippotherapy to their treatment helps address these speech challenges in unique ways. As your child sits atop the horse, the rhythmic gait stimulates neural impulses associated with speech. This makes it particularly useful for kids dealing with a brain injury or a language goal that might be lagging a little bit.

Working with the horse builds strength and control in their trunk muscles. This helps with posture and breathing, a boon for kids dealing with muscular dystrophy or cerebral palsy.

Part of hippotherapy involves working around the horse, like brushing them or feeding them some hay. These kinds of activities help your child build trust and a rapport with their hooved helper. That builds their confidence and opens up new pathways for communication. For a child with autism or one who’s a little unsure in their language skills, it can be a game-changer.

Finally, the natural setting offers a low-stress environment to work in. And that’s great for any kid!

The number of hippotherapy and speech therapy sessions needed for your child will be largely determined by the kinds of goals we set together.

A very general rule is that it takes an average of 15-20 hours to correct a speech issue. This is just a guideline. Some kids have a very specific challenge to work on and that may take only a few weeks to improve. Others may have goals that require a longer period of commitment.

Hippotherapy can move the process along through the unique ways in which it builds the brain and body connections associated with speech. The therapist is closely engaged with your child during each hippotherapy session, monitoring their progress every step of the way. As they work together, they’ll be able to offer you a more specific timeline.

Also, know that regularly practicing their speech exercises at home is an essential component of successful therapy. We’ll provide simple, fun exercises that reinforce what they’re learning. Making these exercises part of their daily routine will keep the process moving forward. Many families have a regular time (like before bedtime) when their child practices their new skills. We’ve seen the difference that makes in determining how long they continue regular speech therapy.

You can start by explaining that, first, there are no actual “hippos” involved (you know this will come up)!

“Hippo” is the Greek word for “horse.” Over the years, we’ve learned that horses can be very useful in helping people get better in lots of different ways. In this case, they’ll be helping the child practice their skills with words.

That happens just by sitting on the horse as it walks along. Those gentle movements help build things in their brain and their body to make speech and words easier.

If they’ve never been around a horse and show any concerns, reassure them that these are very special horses, chosen to be their friend. A grownup will always be around to keep them safe.

When discussing speech therapy in general, emphasize that it’s the same as the kind of practice they do with sports, music, or any other hobby. This one is practice around words.

We make the therapy experience fun by using different games and activities. On that note, it’s helpful for us to learn more about your child before we start. Understanding their interests and what excites/motivates them allows us to tailor each session around them.

Ultimately, speech therapy is designed to help your child communicate more effectively.

For some children, like those dealing with autism, language can be frustrating; speech therapy gives them new tools and abilities to better express themselves.

Other goals include.

• Improving articulation (like being able to pronounce “r” or “th”).
• Helping with a stutter or anything that interrupts their speech “flow.”
• Increasing vocabulary.
• Overcoming delayed or unintelligible speech.
• Easing voice disorders (like a raspy or hoarse voice).
• Helping them better understand language (how to follow directions, or use words/phrases to express themselves). 

As a speech therapy tool, hippotherapy goals include

• Strengthening trunk muscles to improve breathing.
• Stimulating neural connections linked to speech.
• Opening new forms of communication via rapport with the horse.
• Increasing confidence, and lowering stress and anxiety.

Parents are an integral part of the therapy process, providing support and encouragement, and keeping the therapist aware of their achievements. This is essential in adapting the treatment in ways that most help your child.

When it comes to the hippotherapy component, many kids get excited to meet their horse. If this is a totally new experience for them, perhaps lay some groundwork beforehand. Look at books, videos, pictures of horses. Let them know that this horse will be their special, gentle friend. And assure them that helpful grownups will always be around.

Part of successful speech therapy includes regular practice of the skills your child is learning. We provide our families with simple exercises for them to do at home. We encourage you to help make practice part of their daily routine. A lot of our clients have found that right before bedtime is an optimal time.

As a parent, you’re an important source of encouragement, so praise every achievement to keep the momentum going!

We believe that building a consistent working relationship between your child and their therapist is a key ingredient to a successful outcome. As the child comes to know and trust their therapist, they feel free to try new things. As the therapist learns more about your child, they understand how better to motivate them, deal with frustrations, and keep them moving forward.

To that end, your child will work with the same therapist every time. Of course, there may be the occasional unforeseen circumstance that interrupts things; we’ll do our best to mitigate that.

Typically, most kids do therapy once a week. Depending on the goals we’ve set together that frequency may be increased or decreased.

A general rule of thumb is that it takes 15-20 hours to correct a speech issue. We closely monitor your child’s progress and how they interact during each session to continually shape the schedule that best suits them. For some kids, “less is more.” Other children may move through each stage of the process quickly and can benefit from extra sessions to maintain the momentum. We’ll keep you informed every step of the way so you can maintain your family calendar.

Pediatric speech therapy is often covered by insurance, although there may be some exclusions. For example, some carriers think a child may outgrow certain issues (like a stutter). It’s important to talk to both your pediatrician and your carrier to get the details.

The equine-assisted component is considered a “tool” within speech therapy and is usually covered. Again, it’s smart to check with your carrier to determine if there are any conditions or exceptions to be aware of.

We work with insurance companies, HMOs, and Medicaid every day and know the ins and outs of the process. Put your mind at ease by reaching out; we’ll answer all your questions.

Kids of all ages (up to age 18) can benefit from speech therapy. However, the hippotherapy component isn’t appropriate for children under the age of two.

As with anything, starting speech therapy sooner than later is always optimal, but it’s never too late!

When hippotherapy is added to the process, your child has an extra tool to achieve their goals. Riding atop the horse stimulates and strengthens the neural connections that can help with various speech challenges. Sitting on the horse builds the muscle control that helps with breathing. And we’ve seen firsthand how the relationship with the horse builds confidence and can open up new pathways of communication.

If you’ve still got questions, we’re happy to assist.