Hypotherapy consists in the use of horse movement as a therapeutic tool aimed at people with disabilities., especially children, in order to obtain an improvement on a physical, psychological and social level.
On some occasions we have talked about the success of programs carried out with animals, also with horses, for disabled children. And it is that the contact with animals and with other people, and more if it is in full nature, is stimulating for anyone, more if it fits for the sick children, and can establish interesting affective bonds.
Through equestrian therapy the rider receives the sensory and sensory stimuli, as well as the rhythmic and symmetrical movements generated by the horse when walking, which reports great benefits on a physical level. In addition, cognitive deficits can be worked through motivation.
Hypotherapy is aimed at people with different types of physical, psychological and social disabilities. Some examples are cerebral palsy, spinal injuries, motor dysfunctions, neurodegenerative and traumatic diseases ...
You can also report benefits to people with different mental illnesses, in addition to improving the mood of individuals suffering from other types of psychological disorders such as behavior, eating ... Let's see the multiple benefits of this therapy with animals.
Psychological area * It helps improve self-esteem and self confidence. * Benefits of the basic psychological processes: attention, perception and memory. * Stimulates behavioral aspects: learn to give and receive orders, learn rules and limits, and work as a team. * Strengthens emotional bonds. * Reduces stress and anxiety.
Physical area * Benefits in psychomotor skills. * Improves temporal-spatial orientation. * Promotes static and dynamic balance. * Tones the muscles and corrects the postural alignment. * Increase lung capacity.
Social area * Normalization and social integration. * Improves interpersonal relationships and social skills. * Benefits in basic aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication. * Aid to social awareness in favor of people with disabilities.
As we see the benefits of hippotherapy are multiple, at different levels. Equestrian therapy is carried out in equestrian or zoological clubs, and sometimes public institutions are responsible for facilitating the access of children and families to their benefits.
