Get Maryland Therapeutic Riding Inc Volunteer Application - Horsesthatheal

There are many therapeutic activities that involve horses. They might include riding horses or walking and caring for them. For example, people might feed the horses, guide them around, or groom them. Some people benefit from just being around and visiting the animals.

Disadvantages of equine assisted therapy are that it is both expensive, creating a financial burden, (Fine, 2000) and time consuming (Tyler, 1994). Others suggest the amount of care required for an animal may compete with other demands, or take away from human-human relationship time (Fine, 2000; Akrow, 1987).

In some cases, just a few sessions of equine therapy can produce improvement. Furthermore, equine therapy reduces anxiety and depression through physiological changes. Studies show that animal-assisted therapy reduces cortisol, the stress hormone. In addition, spending time with animals lowers blood pressure.

Equine therapy, also known as equine- assisted therapy model or EAP, is a treatment that includes equine activities or an equine environment to promote physical, occupational, and emotional growth in persons with a myriad of afflictions from anxiety and depression to dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), ...

MSU Extension Equine Assisted Therapy Programs promote therapeutic riding experiences through educational and research-based activities. The program has earned premier accreditation status through PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship).

Hippotherapy consists of the words meaning “horse” “hippos”, and “treatment” “therapy” in ancient Greek. It is defined as equine-assisted treatment. Firstly, it was mentioned in the works of Hippocrates. However, it has not become a discipline with an established protocol up to 1960s.

Equine therapy is an experiential treatment method that uses the connection between people and horses to enhance physical or emotional healing. Different forms of equine therapy may be used depending on client needs. There are several different forms of equine-related therapy and treatment.