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Days in Horse Country – Therapeutic Riding
Therapeutic riding is the use of horses to aid people dealing with mental of physical challenges. Riding centres established to provide horseback therapy help people of all ages deal with a variety of issues.
Specially trained instructors work with students using riding as a means of physical and emotional therapy. Students are taught how to ride, and in the process they develop skills that help them overcome their particular disabilities.
For example, children with autism are helped by the facilitation of communication and social skills. Because the horse’s stride is similar to that of a human’s, people with physical disabilities experience the rhythm and feel of walking. Hippotherapy, another equine-assisted therapy, involves hands-on work by a physical therapist during riding. This helps improve neurological function in both children and adults.
For more information on becoming a certified instructor in therapeutic riding and hippotherapy, contact the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (Canada and the USA) by visiting their website at www.narha.org
Michael