SARI offers OT and PT services using hippotherapy as a treatment modality. Sessions run for 8-10 weeks, once a week, offered in fall, spring, and summer.
Hippotherapy refers to how occupational therapy, physiotherapy and speech language pathology professionals use evidence-based practice and clinical reasoning in the purposeful manipulation of horse movement to engage sensory, neurological, motor and cognitive systems to achieve functional outcomes.
Physiotherapy treatments focus on developing balance by improving core stability. The movement of the horse influences the movement of the rider’s pelvis and spine and positioning on the horse. It can help improve range of motion, strength, posture and postural control.
Occupational therapy treatments focus on how the movement of the horse impacts the whole person, providing input that the therapist can use to alter to physical, sensory, cognitive and emotional systems to address daily living skills.
For more information, email programmanager@sari.ca.
