 
--S. Budden, MD Medical Director/ Pediatric Development, Legacy Emanuel Hospital, OHSU Contact us: |
 
So why use a horse when you can use a piece of equipment? It's all in the movement: up and down, side to side and forward to back...all at the same time. Throw in changes in speed, variables in rythym and a whole host of sensory inputs and you've got motion that impacts your brain and body in significant ways. Did you know that by simply sitting astride a moving horse, a person's sense of coordination and stability can improve? By experiencing the constant repetition of the horse's stride, and by absorbing this rhythm into our hips, a person's back and trunk muscles kick into action. This stimulates nerve patterns that have lain dormant, and allows tight ligaments to relax and become more supple. Our comprehensive classes offer many clients rare opportunities for physical fitness and their first significant sense of physical empowerment and freedom. Our restorative approach to programming improves health and increases quality of life. Equine Therapy & ActivitiesTherapeutic riding is an umbrella term covering several distinct methods of equine therapy including therapeutic sport riding, hippotherapy and vaulting. Equine Therapy offers benefit to a wide range of physical issues. For example, individuals who have spasticity (an involuntarily muscle reaction), riding a horse in a therapeutic situation has shown to reduce the affliction. Many individuals along the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience significant improvements in sensory integration as a result of the dynamic movement. Equine Therapy and its benefits have been recognized for many years. It is a proven method of increasing the physical, mental, emotional and developmental capabilities for individuals with disabilities, functional limitation or medical issues. There is a healing interaction between horses, riders and the people who help them. Riding encourages:
Equine Therapy can produce dramatic and lasting benefits. Depending upon a client ’s individual challenges, strengths and goals, equine therapy addresses special needs through a combination of factors: The motion of the horse and client ’s efforts to maintain a balanced seat help to strenghten the trunk and spine. Because a horse’s walking stride is similar in length and cadence to a human’s stride, the pelvic movement mimics the action of walking and provides vital exercise for riders who cannot walk independently. The content of the session challenges clients cognitively as well as physically. Our long-term goal for our clients is to have them become independent to their greatest ability. The client ’s team of volunteers provide moment-to-moment support, keep the client safe in the saddle and focused on the lesson. Trust and positive social interactions flow from the client ’s relationships with leader and sidewalkers. The relationship between horse and client is typically one of deep trust and affection, strengthened by touch as the client learns to groom and care for the horse. Clients often end the lesson by hugging and kissing their horses! Click here for directions to our facility. |
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