Hippotherapy?

[Paige]

Has anyone tried hippotherapy, especially for a physical disability? I've found a place very close to my home that offers it and I am considering it for DD. She is not the most cooperative therapy patient in regular clinics because she gets bored and is not really motivated. It's fairly expensive, IMO, since insurance wouldn't cover it at all. I don't want to do it just because she'd like it and have fun. I would want to do it because it works therapeutically. Most things I've read about it have been for kids with autism type disorders and she's nothing like that.

[Barbara H]

We did therapeutic riding rather than hippotherapy because it was more cost accessible for us. We found it very helpful for core/trunk strength and hand strength for a child with hypotonia. Also, it was fun and I think a real confidence builder for a kid who struggled physically.

[PeterPan]

We did horse riding for a summer, and like Barbara says it was AMAZING for her core strength and tone. If the trainer will let your dc help groom the horse, it will also work their upper body strength as they curry him and groom him. Some will, some won't. Ours would, so it was a bonus.

 

Horses are really unique and have this personality. My dd really, really loved the horses, like it was this kindred thing with her hugging it and talking to it and... She's not on the spectrum either. I'm just saying sometimes a horse can bring out things you wouldn't expect in a person. Definitely pursue it if you're able. :)

[dtsmamtj]

If this is therapy via riding a horse - my girls have seen first hand the benefits and improvements this therapy can do. They have volunteered for several years at a place where this therapy is used. The place where they volunteer sees a variety of different disabilities - CP, DS, Autistic, etc.

 

T

[Ottakee]

My kids have all done therapeutic riding. It can be very expensive though---horses are expensive to begin with.

 

We started with therapeutic riding, then went to riding with friends for a bit, to getting our own therapeutic horse to now having 4 horses in the back yard :-)

 

It has been amazing for my younger daughter with CP, low tone, hypotonic, etc. She was a late mover, crawler, walker, talker, potty trainer, etc.

 

Now she is out there riding with the big girls and showing a hunter jumper course---jumping a series of 6 2 foot fences on a 1000 pound animal and doing well. Just last week she was out there cantering while standing in her strirrups in a 2 pt position (pre jumping position) with her arm held out from her sides.

 

Depending on your needs, you might be able to find an experienced regular horseback riding instructor that can work with your child for less money. Right now I pay $35/hour for private lessons. The instructor is really great about working on core strength, building the skills needed for riding, etc. Even if that isn't an option now, it might be in a few years.

 

My older daughter has her own horse as well and just loves him. She doesn't ride as much, doesn't do the showing, etc. as she doesn't care but she LOVES her horse and can walk/trot him around the yard bareback. She has a severe stuttering problem with other developmental delays but her "old guy" as we call him doesn't care a bit.

[chiguirre]

Trinqueta and Geezle have been taking regular riding lessons this year. While Trinqueta has learned skills more quickly than Geezle, they both enjoy it and have gained a lot of confidence and strength from riding. Plus, we all enjoy grooming and tacking up the horses before lessons and washing them and giving them treats afterwards. I pay $35 for a half hour of riding (plus another half hour of grooming) per kid for the two of them to ride at the same time. It was $40 when they were beginners and needed 1 on 1 attention.

[*Michelle*]

Interesting info. Our son is starting OT tomorrow and his therapist does hippotherapy on the side. I may consider it down the road, once he's established a good rapport with her.