Meet therapy ponies, Razzle, Mischief and Dixie.
If a child has a disability which qualifies them for therapy, Hippotherapy is an option. Parents may also consider Hippotherapy if their child:
• Leans against surfaces, slides out of chairs, and bumps into things, indicating poor body awareness and postural control.
• Seeks a lot of intense movement and avoids sitting long enough to manipulate objects such as crayons or puzzles.
• Has difficulty following directions and communicating.
• Struggles with emotional and sensory regulation. Hippotherapy provides the sensory stimulation that helps a child organise his body for complex tasks. The therapist is always in control of the horse’s movement, choosing activities that will help achieve specific outcomes.
Liz says; “We had been struggling with behavioural problems and anxiety. My son was receiving OT already, but once he started Hippotherapy, there was an improvement all round.” Unfortunately, there are a limited number of trained therapists available, and only licensed OTs, PTs, and SLPs are allowed to do Hippotherapy. Medical aids will cover the costs of Hippotherapy as they would for therapy in other clinical settings.
Source: Emma Wijnberg, Occupational Therapy and Hippotherapy,
Howick and Assagay area.