Therapeutic Riding
Therapeutic Riding is teaching students horseback riding while benefiting their daily lives at the same time. The benefits of this unique form of therapy can be just as diverse as the students themselves. Individuals can learn proper sequencing, muscle control, multi-tasking, focus, coordination and patience all through riding. Students attain these skills through activities such as grooming, mounting, dismounting, trail patterns, engaging their core muscles while on horseback, remembering to keep their heels down while steering, maintaining balance while on the horse, and when things don't go as planned to take a deep breath and "walk on". This short list is by no means complete. As each new rider comes and displays new challenges the therapy is personalized to meet their needs.
At Shadow Ranch, a professional staff and volunteers work closely with riders to ensure safe riding sessions. All new riders are assisted by two side walkers who walk along side the horse, as well as a horse leader. Riding classes are taught by an instructor who has a strong equine background, as well as an understanding of various disabilities.
Equine-assisted Psychotherapy
In the grand scheme of things, Equine-assisted Psychotherapy is relatively new to the industry. The clients do not ride. But because the horse mirrors what the client is feeling the professional counselor is able to used them in private and group sessions as a tool. Confidentiality is huge with this therapy, so at Shadow Ranch it is done with a team: 1 horse person for safety, the horse, our professional certified counselor and the client.
Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement as part of an integrated intervention program to achieve functional outcomes. Equine movement provides multidementional movement, which is variable, rhythmic and repetitive. The horse provides a dynamic base of support, making it an excellent tool for increasing trunk strength and control, balance, building overall postural strength and endurance, addressing weight bearing, and motor planning. Equine movement offers well-modulated sensory input to vestibular, proprioceptive, tactile and visual channels. During gait transitions, the patient must perform subtle adjustments in the trunk to maintain a stable position. When a patient is sitting forward astride the horse, the horse's walking gait imparts movement responses remarkably similar to the normal human gait. The effects of equine movement on postural control, sensory systems, and motor planning can be used to facilitate coordination and timing, grading of responses, respiratory control, sensory integration skills and attentional skills. Equine movement can be used to facilitate the neurophysiologic systems that support all of our functional daily living skills.
Physical Therapists (PT): The physical therapist can overlay a variety of motor taks on the horse's movement to address the motor needs of each patient and to promote functional outcomes in skill areas related to gross motor ability such as sitting, standing, and walking.
Occupational Therapists (OT): The occupational therapist is able to combine the effects of the equine movement with other standard intervention strategies for working on fine motor control, sensory integration, feeding skills, attentional skills, and functional daily living skills in a progressively challenging manner.
Speech-Language Pathologists: The speech-language pathologist is able to use equine movement to facilitate the physiologic systems that support speech and language. When combined with other standard speech-language intervention strategies, the speech-language pathologist is able to generate effective remediation of communication disorders and promote functional communication outcomes.
There is no such thing as a Hippotherapist. Only an OT, PT, or Speech-language Pathologist trained in Hippotherapy. This form of therapy is done under the supervision of a PATH-Certified Instructor.
**Shadow Ranch does not currently offer Hippotherapy**
Driving
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship Internationa (PATH Intl) Centers can use driving as a means of offer students with physical, mental, or emotional disabilities the rewards of interacting with a horse or pony while driving from a carriage - either in the carriage seat or in their own wheelchair, using a carriage specially modified to accommodate wheelchairs. Using a horse and carriage gives participants an alterantive to riding, opening up the world of horses to those who may be unable to ride due to weight, balance, physical limitations, fear of heights or other issues.
Therapeutic Driving offers a unique set of skills and benefits, by providing the student with a distinct range of movements and a vast set of motor-sensory experiences. Therapeutic Driving is about imparting knowledge of safety, horses, harnessing and driving skills to children and adults using teamwork. It takes 3-5 volunteers to make one driving turn out! In addition to therapeutic lessons, drivers with a disability who are interested in competing are welcome at traditional carriage driving competitions, such as pleasure driving and combined driving events, where they compete on an equal footing with able-bodied competitors. As with riding, there are precautions to driving.
**Shadow Ranch does not currently offer Driving**
Vaulting
Often equated to gymnastics on horseback, vaulting uses a surcingle to allow riders to perform seven standard movements (called compulsories) and many freestyle movements on the back of a horse on a lunge line. The therapeutic value of vaulting is immense, and it promotes strength, flexibility, balance, and coordination through the physical moves; as well as confidence, trust, patience, and critical thinking as participants must learn routines and develop the skills necessary to perform these on a moving horse. Traditionally, all three gaits are used, though the intensity of the speed and movements can be easily adjusted for therapeutic programs.
**Shadow Ranch does not currently offer Vaulting**
PATH International
Shadow Ranch is a member center of the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH INTL). PATH's mission is to change and enrich lives by promoting excellence in Equine - assisted activities and therapies (EAAT). PATH was formed in 1969 as HARHA (North American Riding center for the Handicapped Asoc). PATH has been there done that." They have learned from success as well as failures and created proven safety standards as guidance for its members. It also created a certification process that insures that all instructors have the knowledge and passion for productive, fun and safe classes.
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A BIG Thank-you to PATH International and the American Hippotherapy Association for providing information on Vaulting, Driving, and Hippotherapy, respectively.
