Hippotherapy Pediatric Therapy

During an actual hippotherapy session, the therapist, the handler(s), and the horse do most of the work. However, during the course of treatment (especially at the beginning), your presence can be very helpful. This is the time when we introduce your child to the horse, the barn, and other elements that may be unfamiliar to them. We do it very gradually, but being there to reassure your little one is important; it helps start their new adventure off in a positive way!

Parents are an important part of the process, too, when your child is off the horse because you can encourage the progress they’re making. Hippotherapy is designed to help with speech, physical, and occupational goals; when you observe their skills improving, let them know!

You’re also a line of communication alerting the therapist to any achievements (no matter how small) or setbacks that we should know about. As we build a relationship with your child, it’s helpful for us to know about the things that interest, motivate (or frustrate) them; this way, we can design each hippotherapy session to be most effective.

Overall, a pediatric hippotherapy appointment typically runs anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. Not all of that time is spent atop the horse (that period can be roughly 15-20 minutes).

There are other sensory therapy exercises used in the process. This may include brushing or touching the horse, helping to bathe it, or feeding it some hay. Depending on the goals we’ve set together, there may be additional exercises designed to assist your child in reaching their physical, speech, or occupational targets.

The therapist pays close attention to your child during each session, gauging how he/she is responding to the neuro and muscular stimulation that they’re receiving. As they sit atop the horse, the natural walking gait produces 100 rhythmic impulses per minute to the child’s brain; these help strengthen neuromuscular connections. Working with the horse also builds muscle strength and coordination. We’re observing your child at all times to ensure that they get the perfect amount of stimulation for them.

Accordingly, we adjust the overall timeframe to get the most out of our work together.

Because pediatric hippotherapy is often integrated into speech, physical, or occupational therapy treatments, it’s typically covered by insurance. It’s considered a “one-on-one” tool, versus a procedure or service.

However, as with any insurance coverage, there may be exceptions. These are not always obvious, so you should first call your carrier to discuss your child’s situation. You may also want to check with your pediatrician as well.

Our policy is to bill your carrier directly (insurance, HMO, Medicaid). The family is responsible for any of the therapy costs not covered (except those handled by Medicaid).

We work with private insurance companies, HMOs, and Medicaid all the time. We’re familiar with the particular ins and outs around pediatric hippotherapy and coverage and are happy to answer your questions. Give us a call at (479) 250-9838.

Much of the answer depends on the overall goals that we set together for your child. Hippotherapy is an excellent tool for helping with physical, occupational, and speech goals; the rhythmic, natural gait of the horse stimulates different parts of the brain in a very gentle way. Sitting on the horse itself helps strengthen certain muscles and builds coordination and balance.

Typical hippotherapy attendance is once a week, either in a private or semi-private session. Each appointment runs from 45 minutes to an hour, with not all of that time spent on the horse.

We do observe your child very closely to determine if a weekly appointment will be most helpful in reaching your goals, or if another schedule would be more beneficial.

Naturally, a child’s first question may be, “Will there be hippos?” (!)  Let them know that the term “hippo” is a word the ancient Greeks used for “horse.”

They’re not “riding” the horse so much as sitting on top of it as it gently walks along. It won’t be too fast. Moving along with the horse helps their brain take in new information by way of their muscles, eyes, and bones. 

There are other things involved in hippotherapy that also give their brain and muscles new and better ways to work. These activities include just being around a barn, brushing the horse, helping to give the horse a bath, or even just holding the reins. 

They’ll be out in nature, which is always fun. Assure them that adults will always be right there to control the horse and to keep them safe and comfortable.

If you’re still unsure about how to talk to your child about hippotherapy, feel free to reach out to us. We’ve worked with kids for a long time and have many ways to find the right words.

No. Your child doesn’t need to know how to ride a horse for hippotherapy. This is not a “horseback riding lesson”; in fact, not knowing how to ride may be better for them because they’ll sit more naturally in the saddle without any preconceived ideas.

If your child has never been around horses before, we introduce them to each other very slowly and gently. Some kids take right to it; others may need more warm-up time. We observe your child’s personality and behavior and take our cues from that.

Your child is guided by experts at every step of the hippotherapy process, including learning how to safely mount/dismount from the horse. Besides the therapist, a handler is present to guide and control the animal at all times. Your child will also be given safety equipment, like a helmet.

Please know that the horses we use in hippotherapy are specifically chosen for their gentle temperament and are very accustomed to being around little ones. They’re a perfect partner for this work and love their small friends as much as we do!

Over the years, hippotherapy has been proven to be a very helpful additional tool for kids who are also doing speech, physical, or occupational therapy. That’s because it offers a different way of accomplishing the neural and physical goals of these treatments.

Sitting atop the horse as it walks helps build strength and tone in the trunk muscles that are needed to maintain balance in a sitting position. Hippotherapy increases a child’s overall body awareness and coordination. These particular aspects can be especially useful for kids dealing with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, autism, or a brain injury.

The gentle, rhythmic walking movement of the horse stimulates brain function by triggering neural impulses through each step. It’s been shown to improve short-term memory and the ability to focus and concentrate.

There are other activities that take place during a hippotherapy session. These are also designed to provide healthy sensory input and strengthen various brain connections. Your child may enjoy feeling the horse’s mane, brushing the horse, or feeding them hay. The environment of the barn and the natural outdoor space also offer fun ways to process sensory information in positive, low-stress ways. For kids challenged by speech or language issues, the rapport with their horse offers new pathways to communication and can unlock some additional vocabulary.

Plus, the simple act of connecting and working with their horse builds confidence in taking on other challenges in their life!

That largely depends on the goals that we set together for your child. Once-a-week sessions are the norm; during that time, the therapist is constantly monitoring your little one to gauge his/her progress. Gradually, we get a fuller picture and can suggest how many sessions overall would be optimal.

Hippotherapy is an innovative method that uses the natural gait of a horse as a tool for building sensory and motor input to the child’s brain. As they sit atop the horse while it moves, the motion triggers healthy neural inputs throughout their body with each step. The mere act of sitting upright on the horse has physical benefits as well, improving muscle strength, balance, and coordination.

The goal of hippotherapy is to improve a child’s overall neurological function and strengthen their ability to focus. It also boosts concentration, short-term memory function, and cognition. This is very helpful for children challenged by autism or ADHD.

Other physical goals include improving posture, breathing control, and range of motion. Working atop the horse also makes various muscle groups stronger; that’s great for kids who are dealing with cerebral palsy or muscular dystrophy.

Hippotherapy has something of a “cascade” effect because it stimulates both the brain and the body at the same time. In a natural, outdoor setting (which is less stressful and more fun for your child), kids are building healthy neural connections through their eyes, posture, muscles, bones, and more. Building a relationship with their horse creates a positive emotional bond that unlocks social and language skills.

We frequently notice improvements in a child’s overall behavior, school achievements, and emotional well-being. After all, they’re now working with a 1,000-pound animal; that’s quite a confidence boost!

We’ll begin with their medical history, including any pertinent family history. Part of this discussion will include your child’s development “milestones,” and at what age they were achieved. And because they’ll be working outdoors, around horses and things like hay, we’ll want to know about any sensitivities.

Next, we’ll discuss any concerns that you have and the goals that you and your child hope to achieve through hippotherapy.

The hippotherapy evaluation will check things including your child’s muscle strength, muscle tone, coordination, and balance. Posture, joint function, and range of motion will be examined. This is why it’s important that your child wear comfortable clothes they can easily move in.

We’ll also assess your child’s social behavior and how they process sensory information.

All of this may sound very technical, but we conduct the evaluation in a very easy, low-stress way. The information we get will help us to shape a hippotherapy program that will be the most fun and beneficial for your little one.