What are the benefits?

The phys­i­cal suc­cesses of ther­a­peu­tic rid­ing lie in the gait of the horse — a three dimen­sional swing­ing motion, which pro­vides a unique, liv­ing ther­apy tool. Riders ben­e­fit from up/down, for­ward /backward, and side-to-side motion — includ­ing stim­u­lated mus­cle, brain and social activ­ity. Furthermore, equine-assisted activ­i­ties pos­i­tively affect a rider’s pos­ture, bal­ance, strength, focus, coor­di­na­tion, flex­i­bil­ity, self-awareness, con­fi­dence and sense of inde­pen­dence. Riders expe­ri­ence social and emo­tional growth gained from the bonds they cre­ate with their horses and peo­ple at our facil­ity. Below are some more spe­cific ben­e­fits of ther­a­peu­tic riding.

Physical Benefits:

  • Improved pos­ture con­trol and balance
  • Increased mus­cle tone and strength
  • Increased core strength and development
  • Greater range of motion
  • Decreased spas­tic­ity
  • Better hand-eye coordination
  • Reduction of abnor­mal move­ment patterns

Cognitive/Sensory Benefits:

  • Development of learned skills
  • Tactile aware­ness and sen­sory integration
  • Improved appli­ca­tion of tasks and skills
  • Sequencing, pat­tern­ing and motor planning

Emotional/Social Benefits:

  • Independence
  • Increased self-control and awareness
  • Better emo­tional control
  • Greater self-awareness and self-confidence
  • Achievement
  • Teamwork and collaboration
  • Friendship and compassion
  • Cooperation
  • Personal hygiene
  • Greater respect for oth­ers, both humans and animals