What is hippotherapy? Hippotherapy is a proven treatment modality that uses the natural rhythmic movement of the horse to stimulate physical and cognitive development. Hippotherapy is conducted in private sessions by a licensed physical therapist, occupational therapist, or speech and language pathologist in partnership with a registered NARHA instructor. Visit the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) website to find a certified Hippotherapy Clinical Specialist® (HPCS) or AHA member therapist near you.

Equine Assisted Therapy...Equine Facilitated Therapy...What's the difference? These are again industry terms that can be very confusing to those outside of the industry.

Equine assisted therapy encompasses both therapeutic riding and hippotherapy. These are methods that use the movement of the horse to promote specific goals -- typically improved core muscle strength, balance, motor skills, and communication skills. Equine assisted therapy is facilitated by a qualified instructor and/or licensed physical, occupational, or speech therapist.

Equine facilitated therapy, on the other hand, is geared more toward treating behavioral and interpersonal issues. In this realm of treatment, the horse becomes the facilitator while a licensed psychotherapist supervises and interprets the interaction between horse and patient.

Horses are extraordinarily sensitive creatures that operate largely on intuition. With its tremendous intuitive capacity, the horse facilitates growth and development of coping skills, problem solving skills, and empathy in its human counterparts by mirroring the individual's emotions and behavior. The horse provides clear and immediate feedback to the patient, and the patient learns to adjust his/her behavior for a more positive response from the horse.

This form of treatment is a simple reflection of the laws of cause and effect, but to witness the interaction between a horse and an individual struggling to overcome fears and insecurities is to witness a true miracle. We are only beginning to understand the capacity for healing that horses have to offer mankind.

Who benefits from therapeutic riding? Almost anyone, able-bodied or otherwise, can benefit from interaction with horses. We hear from our volunteers all the time that they feel participating in our program is just as therapeutic for them as it is for our clients. At STRIDE, however, our therapeutic riding program is aimed primarily at children and adults who are physically or mentally challenged.

We serve clients with a broad range of conditions including cerebral palsy, mental retardation, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, autism, Down Syndrome, ADHD, developmental delays, and traumatic brain injuries, to name just a few.