Capturing Kids’ Hearts for Learning,
WITH Horses
ABOUT
Learning WITH Horses is a Pediatric Therapy Facility incorporating Hippotherapy as a treatment modality to guide the child’s occupational therapy treatment plan. We are located North of San Antonio in Fair Oaks Ranch, Texas seven miles off Interstate I-10. Our facility offers 40 acres of green pastures and trails, covered arena, and a therapy clinic.
HIPPOTHERAPY VS THERAPEUTIC RIDING
What is the difference? And how do I know which one is most appropriate for my child?
HIPPOTHERAPY
THERAPEUTIC RIDING
Physical, Occupational or Speech Therapy. Use the purposeful manipulation of equine movement as a therapy tool.
Adapted recreational horseback riding lessons
Hippotherapy is not a horseback riding lesson. It is physical, occupational or speech therapy, which is approved by a physician and implemented by a team that includes a licensed, credentialed therapist.
Therapeutic riding is recreational horseback riding lessons adapted to individuals with disabilities.
Hippotherapy is implemented by a professional therapist (occupational therapist, physical therapist or speech language pathologist) in conjunction with a competent horse handler and a specially screened and trained therapy horse.
Therapeutic riding is completed by a certified therapeutic horseback Path certified therapeutic riding instructor in conjunction with volunteers.
There is direct hands-on participation by the therapist at all times.
In therapeutic riding, the individual is often taught riding lessons in a group format, which runs in “sessions”. The instructor must respond to the group as a whole, in addition to fostering individual success.
The horse’s movement is essential to assist in meeting therapy goals.
There is occasional hands-on assistance by the Path certified riding instructor and/or volunteers, but the instructor usually teaches from the center of the arena.
The goal of hippotherapy is to improve neurological functioning and engage sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems to promote functional outcomes off the horse.
Horses used for therapeutic riding instruction have been screened to make sure they have the appropriate temperament for this job.
Hippotherapy is a one-on-one treatment and generally occurs until the client meets discharge criteria.
In therapeutic riding, the emphasis is on proper riding position and reining skills, not functional therapeutic goals.
Modified from Hippotherapy vs Therapeutic Riding, AHA 2010.
“ Our mission is to capture kids’ hearts for learning with horses ”
Marci Taylor
Learning WITH Horses