Therapeutic Riding helps kids and adults with mental and physical disabilities. There are about 875 member centers and nearly 8,000 people all over the world who have supported and helped nearly 69,000 men, women, and children, and that also includes the 6,700 veterans who all have physical and mental disabilities.
While it’s not entirely clear when therapeutic riding became a specialized field, ancient Greek writings from around 460 BC document the benefits of horseback riding in the writings of Hippocrates. He wrote a chapter on “Natural Exercise” which mentions riding being healthy. Mercurial of Italy and Tissot of France also made references to the physical benefits of horse riding in their publications in 1569 and 1780 respectively.
In the United States riding for the disabled developed as a form of reaction and as a means of motivation for education, as well as it’s therapeutic benefits. There are more than 850 Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH). Member centers in the United States and around the world providing equine-assisted activities and therapies.
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Therapeutic riding helps so many people around the world from people with disabilities such as autism, PTSD sufferers, movement disorders, mood disorders, At-Risk Youth, and for people who don’t like the talk therapy and to people that need it just for the emotional support.
Teen depression is becoming an increasingly worrying trend, with the suicide rate rising and becoming the second biggest cause of death in those under the age of 21. Modern treatment methods are becoming more known with programs and associations they use these methods to help cope with emotional and mental struggles.
Therapeutic riding shows that they will always have one place where they can go and clear their mind and be themselves. It helps a lot of kids get out of whatever they are going through by helping them cope with it and when they’re riding they have to have a clear mind because a horse can always sense how you’re feeling the way you react up on the horse or the attitude you give to them they will give it right back to you.
When you give someone responsibility for a horse like a horse they just can’t ignore or shrug it off their shoulder hoping someone else will take care of it. They will learn that they have to give this horse the attention it needs like brushing it, washing it, feed and watering it, making sure that they don’t know or see anything that’s going on differently about its behaviors or anything. While taking care of horses it will also give them time to bond and it’s a good way for kids, teens, and adults to cope with whatever they are dealing with whether it be physical or a mental disorder.
Horses are very gentle, and they are also great animals for kids, teens, and adults with special needs they help them gain a sense of control over their own body. It helps them with maintaining balance in the saddle but most importantly communication and physical force because they have to tell the horse when to go and they also have to pull the reins to which direction they want to go and/or kick the horse to move a little faster. Most of the time a person with special needs will have someone right by their side in case anything goes wrong or if they feel uncomfortable. They have to be able to trust the people they are with and the horse.
Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) is used for people who are dealing with emotional dysfunction such as anxiety, depression, PTSD or even going through very difficult life transitions like a loss of a loved one or a separation from someone. In this individuals get to learn about feelings and behavior patterns through their interactions with the horses they are around or with every time they go. The therapist will then help guide them in making choices to improve the situation. Then there is Therapeutic Riding which improves the rider’s muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and muscle tone this will then help them throughout life.
In conclusion, Therapeutic riding helps so many people around the world from people with disabilities such as autism, PTSD sufferers, movement disorders, mood disorders, At-Risk Youth, and for people who don’t like talk therapy and to people that need it just for emotional support. Therapeutic riding is good for teen depression, communication, and responsibility.
