Hypotherapy, or horse-assisted therapy, is relatively new, albeit in 460 BC. Hippocrates was already talking about the benefits of horses in solving health problems. It wasn’t until the 1960s that it really began to be used as a form of rehabilitation.
When riding, the patient begins to stimulate areas of his body that he had never exercised before, which serves to improve balance and mobility, as well as foster an incredible communicative response in the runners.
- It is not necessary to mount them in a conventional way: sometimes they can be mounted sitting on their back.
- Standing or in different postures that can be alternated.
- The animal’s trotting rhythm is similar to the movements of the pelvis when walking.
- So the therapy Horse-assisted is perfect for people with reduced mobility.
It is also highly recommended for people with autism, Down syndrome, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy and many trauma-associated diseases. It is very important that we take into account that this is an alternative that should always be accompanied by medical treatment, otherwise it will be difficult to see progress.
Animals often create a special bond with humans, especially with horses, nonverbal communication between the person and the horse strengthens the emotional bond that is created: it is not necessary to use words for perfect coordination, emotions find room to flow and the relationship between eventually generating tenderness and understanding that are often indescribable.
Horse-assisted therapy involves exercising or using many of our body’s muscles, balance, strength and dexterity (always accompanied by an attentive person at all times) are essential and promote joint mobility, especially the abdomen, buttocks, calves, arms, which are very good at strengthening the spine.
Riding alone is a very complete and recommended sport; If we also add the relaxation caused by the body temperature of the horse, we will have a perfect excuse to continue learning a little more about this sport.
“He is noble, strong, sensitive, majestic and insightful. The horse teaches everyone who knows how to observe. Gabriel Oliverio?
This therapy can help people with any type of disability feel useful, animals do not judge, joke or criticize, in any case treat humans equally and without distinctions, they are also the first to thank any gesture of affection.
Horse-assisted therapy acts as a catalyst for more complex emotions, the love and understanding that an animal can give us is sometimes much more rewarding than what some people are able to give, and it is something that anyone who has lived with an animal can witness.
It improves concentration and attention, which is especially valuable in people with ADHD. The patient focuses on the relationship with the horse, thus increasing the space-time domain, as it favors preoperative reflection.
Of all ADHD patients, it is especially good for children, in this sense it is important to train and increase the ability to control and maintain care, especially if, as it seems, the effects obtained in horse-assisted therapy are generalized to the educational context. On the other hand, at the sensory and cognitive level, reflections and stability increase.
It is a great exercise to free the mind from the stress of everyday life, many psychologists recommend it to treat anxiety and stress problems, just as it can also be used in some cases of anorexia and bulimia.
It also helps build relationships with others outside our usual context, improves self-control of emotions, and teaches patients to properly express how they feel.
The patient does not feel in a serious or artificial place, as can be a medical practice, doing therapies with horses allows to be outdoors, a much more natural space where our senses have the ability to expand, being easier to increase the feeling of well-being.
Nature acts therapeutically, offering the unique opportunity to engage the person and the animal in the same context, in addition, it is now a practice that has many followers around the world, it is a widespread alternative thanks to its incredible benefits in all. levels, although it should certainly always be accompanied by specialized treatment.