Hippotherapy is horseback riding for children with motor disabilities, done under the guidance of a physical or occupational therapist. The idea is that the repetitive movement of the horse's walking provides sensory input to improve the rider's trunk strength, loosen leg muscles, and move the hips in the same pattern as walking. Hippotherapy can improve balance, posture, mobility and function, and may also improve cognitive, behavioural, and communication functioning in children with developmental delays.
We have had two 45-minute sessions thus far and Jessie really seems to be enjoying it. She was hesitant at first to get on the horse, but warmed up very quickly during the first session. When the first session was over and the horse stopped walking, she kept asking for "more" and whined a little when she had to get off!
The people at Shining Hope Farms in Mount Holly are absolutely wonderful! They are so friendly, helpful, and nice. When we met Jessie's pony and found out that his name was "Sammy", we knew that we had come to the right place!
Jessie looks pretty comfortable on that horse:) That type of therapy is so effective!
ReplyDeleteYay! I'm soo glad Jessie is enjoying it!
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed reading your blog! Love the pictures of Jessie on the horse! Thanks for having us for dinner last night - we really enjoyed spending time with you guys. Hope to see you again soon!
ReplyDelete-Terre