“When riding a horse, we borrow freedom.”
Helen Thomson
We personally experienced the incredible physical and emotional benefits of therapeutic horseback riding. When we were barely teens, horses helped us work through the profound grief of losing our dad. Then later, to recover from a serious car accident.
For two shy girls, interacting with horses taught us lessons only horses can teach.
Learning to lead something bigger and more powerful than us gently taught us confidence, patience, determination, and perseverance. We were squashed, pinned, thrown, bit, and shoved… and loved it!
While our mom could not afford many riding lessons, those few brief months changed our lives. Nothing is as exhilarating or frightening as asking such a majestic creature to listen to you.
Horses peer into your soul and listen when you whisper.
Can horses help children with injuries or physical, emotional, cognitive, or learning disabilities, even if severe?
Horse interactions have proven to have significant physical and emotional benefits. We experienced this firsthand – twice.
Riding for All Children
When we were young, our mom scrimped and saved for a few precious lessons after our dad died. Connecting with these incredible creatures brought us a peace we cannot describe. We were both painfully shy. I found it particularly difficult to talk about how I felt and how much my dad’s death hurt.
But I talked to my horse. And he listened. I combed his mane, stroked his face, and felt my heart expand. We both still talk about how those few precious lessons helped us heal.
Some years later, following a serious car accident, we researched ways to help us heal physically and emotionally.
We were amazed to discover a local Therapeutic Horse Riding program, where we were personally involved with an incredible team of dedicated and passionate people—and their amazing horse helpers—who worked tirelessly to channel horses’ power for healing.
What is Therapeutic Horseback Riding?
This refers to all equine-related activities that contribute positively to the well-being of people with disabilities, help them achieve cognitive, behavioral, social, and communication goals, and improve their physical and mental health.
Hippocrates, considered the father of modern medicine, wrote about horse-assisted therapy used in ancient Greece.
The horses and lessons were tailored to our individual needs following an in-depth assessment. Amazingly, thanks to funding and the support of many dedicated volunteers, we could afford lessons we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to.
Qualified instructors, along with a volunteer for each of us (in the beginning, it was two volunteers each to ensure we were safe throughout the entire lesson), took us through exercises and activities while on horseback, with specific goals to achieve. We were continually encouraged and corrected kindly during all lessons.
Benefits Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding for Children
A horse’s gait mimics human movement, so we experienced improvements in flexibility, balance, muscle strength, relaxation of tight muscles, and mobilization of stiff trunks and pelvis. Along with the physical advancement, we felt a sense of gaining more control over what we had lost, the confidence we could get better, and a feeling of freedom.
Numerous studies, in-depth research, and positive feedback exist on this proven therapy method. One recent interesting study revealed that horseback riding improves learning ability in children. The effects of vibrations produced during riding activate the sympathetic nervous system!
Working with horses also provides gentle feedback about ourselves as the horses react to our behavior.
Horse Therapy is actually being used in Korea to treat internet and technology addicted teens.
Seeing all the areas horse therapy impacts is interesting if you research.
These are just some of the areas of benefit (there are so many!)
Physical Improvements
- Flexibility, balance, muscle strength
- Range of motion, relaxation of tight muscles
- Mobilization of trunk and pelvis
- Increased motor skills, reflexes, and coordination
- Improved respiration and circulation
- Sensory integration
- Hand-eye coordination, visual and spatial perception
- Time in the fresh air
Emotional and Psychological Improvements
- Increased confidence and self-esteem
- Patience, emotional strength, and self-discipline
- Feeling of well-being
- Improved risk management awareness
Social and Educational Benefits
- Friendship
- Human, animal, and nature interaction and awareness
- Respect for animals
- Improved social skills in both one-one-one and groups
- Studies show increases in remedial reading, math, and science skills
- Greater listening skills
- Better ability to focus
The Incredible Therapy Horses
Much goes on behind the scenes in selecting and training each horse. Whether full-size or ponies, horses of any breed are specifically chosen for certain strengths:
- Ability to cope with a great deal of distraction
- Tolerate unpredictable and erratic behavior
- Be even-tempered and gentle
- Be calm but not lazy
- Have good balance and structural correctness
- Have a smooth, good-quality gait
A couple of horses we met naturally counterbalanced riders if they lost their balance. We saw horses gently endure being poked in the eye, never flinching at loud noises or erratic behavior.
Their unique personalities are considered when matching each horse with each rider. The horse and rider form a special, unique bond.
These remarkable horses are viewed as “equine partners” and treated with much love.
How Children Benefit from Therapeutic Riding
The numerous conditions and limitations horse therapy can help with are staggering:
From amputations, congenital dislocation of the hip, neurological conditions like strokes, cerebral palsy, epilepsy/seizures and brain injury, and various other injuries, ADHD, autism, grief, trauma, and depression. There are many studies and countless situations and conditions on how horse therapy can help.*
*Some caution for consideration: allergies, size of the animals, and some conditions can be aggravated by riding. Be sure to consult with a physician or specialist before commencing any new therapy.
While waiting for lessons, we saw a glimpse of some children with really heart-breaking conditions—they were purely joyful and simply radiant on ‘their’ horse.
Many parents invited us to watch their children, and we saw and heard firsthand how horse therapy was making a difference for their children one ride at a time.
It certainly made a difference for us.
The Big Sis