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All
About Therapeutic Riding
A Little History
Therapeutic riding (TR) has been around for centuries. Records
indicate that riding was used for therapy as early as the time of the ancient Greeks. A man from ancient Lydia, named
Orbasis, documented the benefits of therapeutic riding around 600 B.C.
A French physician, Cassaign, did the first
study on riding therapy in 1875 and he concluded that riding improved balance, posture, joint movement, and had positive psychological
affects as well.
Liz Hartel, an established horsewoman from Scandinavia, contracted polio in 1946. She helped bring
attention to TR when she won the silver medal for Dressage in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics.
In the early 1900's Britain
discovered the benefits of riding therapy and began using it for wounded World War I soldiers. But it was not until
1969 that the British Riding for the Disabled Association was established.
Also in 1969, the United States had two major
developments in TR. The Cheff Center and NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association) were established.
The Cheff Center for the Handicapped is the oldest therapeutic riding center in the U.S. to this day, and NARHA is the
organization that sets standards for North American TR programs, gives center accreditation, certifies instructors, and provides
TR information across the continent.
How TR
Works
There are two main ways that therapeutic riding affects the client: they are physical and
mental.
Physically, the horse encourages movement and strength of the pelvis, spine, and torso. The movement
felt by the rider is very similar to the human walk. Thus a rhythmic, balanced horse supports and strengthens
the spine, pelvis, and torso in much the same way as a rhythmic, balanced walk. There are also many riding positions
that can be performed on the horse that help to strengthen other parts of the body, such as riding backward to encourage a
rider to use their hands for support and bracing.
Mentally, horses inspire many growth opportunities. When
a physical task is accomplished, riders are encouraged and self-esteem increases. Riders are also able to experience
trust and pride in themselves in ways that they may not have been able to before. The horse is also a very honest animal
and does not respond to manipulation, bullying, or passive/aggressive behavior, as humans do. They do not judge, label
or put up a front. They simply react to their surroundings and how they feel. Horses are known to mirror human
emotions and help people understand how their actions can affect others. They can sense positive or negative emotions
and reflect those emotions back to the human. Since they are large creatures they challenge participants' fear and
confidence and help bring those issues to the forefront to be dealt with appropriately. Educational goals can also be
achieved with the help of a horse by playing games on horseback and doing learning activities on the farm. Bullies learn
that the same horse they are scared to ride, will be ridden by the student they bully all day long at school. Riders
are put in social situations and learn to work together to accomplish a goal or win a game. They are taught about competition,
goals, and acheivement and are encouraged by their team of volunteers the entire way. Imagine a child that can't
walk being given four legs and joining his peers in games, activities, obstacle courses, and so much more!
The Benefits of TR
Improved balance,
self-confidence, muscle control, pride, strength, flexibility, range of motion, quality of motion, muscle tone,
coping skills, concentration, social skills, communication, discipline, and focus. Sometimes riders experience a decreased
need for medication or possibly a decreased need for OT or PT. And the special bond many riders have with their TR horse
encourages trust, love, empathy, and self-worth.
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