While exact dates are sometimes disputed, most scientists concur that humans and horses have enjoyed a “domestic partnership” since about 3500 BCE.
And, throughout recorded history, horses have played an integral part in the human experience, from providing extra muscle moving things, or acting as a primary source of transportation to being the lonely cowpoke’s boon companion on the dusty trail.
So, it comes as no great surprise that the horse is also extremely beneficial as a tool for the physical therapist.
The use of equine movement as part of a patient treatment plan is called hippotherapy and the University of North Georgia’s Physical Therapy Department runs a local hippotherapy program called the Gold Dust Riders for pediatric patients.
One of UNG’s many community outreach programs, Gold Dust Riders benefits not only the students who are involved in the program, but patients from the surrounding community as well.
For the patient, the benefits of hippotherapy are manifold.
Adults and children who suffer from neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction are the primary beneficiaries of hippotherapy. These medical conditions may include cerebral palsy, developmental delay, Down syndrome, functional spinal curvatures, MS, sensory integrative dysfunction, stroke and traumatic brain injury.
Hippotherapy addresses and can improve abnormal tone, impaired balance, abnormal reflexes, impaired coordination, impaired communication, impaired sensorimotor function, postural asymmetry, poor postural control and decreased mobility.
According to current PT literature, in addition to the noble horse’s other stellar accomplishments, here is what she offers as a physical therapy tool:
• The horse’s movement provides the sensorimotor experience of a precise, graded repetitive pattern of movement that is very similar to the pattern of movement of person’s pelvis during normal human walking.
• Normal postural responses can be developed on a dynamic surface whose movement is symmetrical and repetitive.
• The therapist is able to carefully provide the degree of sensory input that appropriately challenges the patient.
• The horse provides dynamic, multi-dimensional movement through space that can provide opportunities for the patient to develop new posture and movement strategies.
• The ever-changing nature of the hippotherapy environment promotes active problem solving.
• The horse motivates the patient to actively participate.
Hippotherapy is a meaningful, functionally relevant activity that can specifically address impairments of tone, range of motion, timing, attention, arousal, coordination, balance and postural control.
Jacob Kelly and Liesel Jones, DPT students on track to graduate from UNG in May 2016 have both seen how this program benefits the community.
Kelly says, “These community members (the children) are able to receive this care at very little cost, or, if they are unable to pay the nominal fee, they can get the care at no cost to them.”
Jones adds, “As for the community at large, camps are offered twice a year, summer and fall. This gives children in our community access to this effective therapy treatment for musculoskeletal, neurologic and behavioral disorders. The program offers financial assistance through scholarships funded by Physical Therapy Student fundraising.”
The value of this program to the local community is undisputed, but interestingly, working with Gold Dust Riders has aided faculty as well.
Terrie L. Millard, DPT, PT, MMSc, PCS and Associate Professor at UNG’s PT Program found her involvement in this program lead her to develop a special saddle that makes hippotherapy an even better experience for young patients and the volunteers who assist.
She says, “The ability of children with severe motor disabilities to participate in movement activities is frequently underestimated. Working to help engage these children in typical childhood activities has been one of my interests for many years. Given the right amount of support, children with even the severest motor disability can joyfully participate in activities that improve their quality of life.”
According to Millard, when you put a child with a severe motor disability on a horse, it requires a substantial amount of help from assistants whom she refers to as “sidewalkers.” She says that these sidewalkers often provide more assistance than the child really needs and this is to the detriment of the child and the helpers.
She says, “The idea to create a supportive saddle grew out of a project using 3D printing to adapt a typical bicycle. The final design was completed through the cooperation of many people besides myself: Dr. Jon Mehlferber, Dr. Alison Alhadeff and several physical therapy students.”
Because of this innovative saddle design, children receiving hippo therapy are safer during the session and sidewalkers are much less at risk for injury.
Millard adds, “One dream that I have is to establish a company which would employ individuals with disabilities to create the saddle for use at hippo therapy facilities around the country — people with disabilities helping other people with disabilities to improve their quality of life.”
Students who work with Gold Dust Riders have found that this hippotherapy program has been a great enhancement to their academic careers.
Jones says, “This program has allowed me to interact with children with special needs as well as their families. I have been able to see them make functional improvements over the course of the camp and have fun while exercising.”
“The program offers a real world, hands on experience allowing us to apply the principles we learn in our academic setting. We are able to collaborate one on one with our faculty mentors as well as the volunteer physical therapists who specialize in pediatrics.”
Kelly also points out that he is especially appreciative of the supervised “freedom” of the learning environment.
“The biggest benefit to my education is that it allows me to get hands on experience working with children in such a unique setting. It is also a safe environment to learn in, because while we are granted a level of independence, we are under close supervision and have access to faculty mentors at any moment if we need help.”
