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Mississippi 4-H

4-H T E A M
Therapeutic Equestrian Activity Member

Therapeutic Riding or Hippotherapy?

  Similarities Differences
Therapeutic Riding Hippotherapy
Horse
 Both utilize a horse to achieve the objectives. Both require horses that are "bomb proof" and sound The horse is used in a variety of gaits. The horse is chosen to meet the student's needs to achieve a specific riding and/or social goal. The horse may be walked, trotted, or even cantered. The horse can be lead by a leader or controlled independently by the student. The horse is specifically chosen for its unique movement qualities. The horse is mostly used at a walk and usually has a horsehandler responsible for controlling the horse. In most cases, the client does not control or steer the horse.
Students/Clients
 Both have students that have some kind of disability. The student usually has enough sitting balance and head control to sit in a forward position on the horse. Compensations for the student are usually made to enable the student to effectively control the horse or to perform specific riding skills. The Therapeutic riding instroctor uses various teaching techniques to achieve specific riding goals and/or skills. The client is usually more involved and may not have enough control of their head or trunk to sit forward. Alternative or developmental positioning may be utilized. The client is manipulated or facilitated by the therapist in order to utilize specific muscles in order to achieve a specific therapy goal. The therapist utilizes various treatment techniques in conjunction with the movement of the horse.
Volunteers
 Both need and rely on well-trained volunteers. Utilizes volunteers as leaders and sidewalkers. The sidewalker is trained on how to safely keep the student on the horse. The leader is trained and supervised by the therapeutic riding instructor. There is usually more than one student in the ring at a time. The volunteer's rolle is to keep the student safe before, during, and after the riding leasson. The riding instructor informs and teaches the volunteer about lesson strategies and proper hand placement. Utilizes volunteers who sidewalk to assist in the manipulation of the client on top of the horse and strategic placement of their hands in order to facilitate or inhibit a specific response. The therapist constantly and directly instructs the volunteers at all times. Usually a fewer number of volunteers are needed because the hippotherapy sessions are provided on a one-to-one basis.
Facility
 Both require a safe area to conduct our lessons or therapy sessions while using a horse. The arena may need to be larger to accommodate a bigger class. Therapeutic riding leassons usually have two or more students in each class. They may require additional space to conduct "Ground/Classroom lessons." The arena may be smaller because there usually is just one client at a time. The ration of therapist to client is 1:1. There needs to be an area to assess the client before and after riding and/or to stretch or prepare the client for the therapy session on the horse.
Staff
 Both require staff that is dedicated, trained, and flexible.    
Physician
 Both require approval from the student/client's physician. Requires a physician's release form for the student to be enrolled in a therapeutic riding lesson. Requires a physician release form to utilize hippotherapy as a part of a therapy treatment. A physician's prescription for either physical therapy, occupational therapy or speech therapy must also be on file in order to legally provide hippotherapy. (State guidelines may vary.)
Therapists
 Both utilize a licensed/registered therapist. The therapist functions as a consultant to the therapeutic riding instructor. As a consultant, the therapist can suggest compensations, adaptive equipment, or positioning in order to assist the student in achieving a riding skill or goal. They cannot teach therapy techniques or conduct a treatment session. In the role of therapist, only recommendations may be made. If a therapist is also a certified riding instructor, she has to be clear of her role: Is she providing treatment or teaching lessons. The two should not be mixed. In therapeutic riding, the therapist does not establish the goals to be achieved or document the progress. Therapeutic riding is not considered a medical treatment. The therapist is in control of the session and of the client at all times. They may consult with a therapeutic riding instructor on equipment use and fit or choice of mounts. The therapist is only utilizing the horse as a therapy tool to achieve specific therapy goals outlined in the initial evaluation of the client. They must document progress in accordance to the state guidelines of their respective profession. This is a medical treatment and needs to be conducted as such by a registered or licensed physical, occupational, and/or speech therapist.
Therapeutic Riding
Instructor
Both require a NARHA Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor. The therapeutic riding instructor is in charge of the lesson. They document the student's progress. There are in charge of the entire class: volunteers, horses, clients, and bystanders. They ensure that the lesson is safe adn that everyone involved is doing their job. In some hippotherapy programs the therapeutic riding instructor is the horsehandler. The therapeutic riding instructor ensures that the horse is conditioned, trained, and safe to be used in the therapy session. The therapeutic riding instructor is responsible for the horse or the horsehandler. The therapist is responsible for the client and the sidewalker. The therapist, not the therapeutic riding instructor, is in charge of the session
Equipment
 Both use specialized equipment. Therapeutic riding lessons utilize a variety of equipment including saddles, bridles, surcingles, and reins. The purpose of the equipment is to provide stability to the student and to enhance their ability to control the horse in order to achieve specific riding skills and goals. Hippotherapy treatment sessions generally use more pads and surcingles in order to allow for position changes. The purpose of the equipment is to allow the movement of the horse and client positioning and to assist the therapist when using various therapy techniques to achieve a specific therapy goal. For example: reins are not used to control the horse but to work on grasp or eye-hand coordination.
Fees
 Both utilize a licensed/registered therapist. Therapeutic riding centers may or may not have fees to cover the riding lesson. Therapeutic riding is a riding lesson which caters to individuals with disabilities and requires specific training. Certified therapeutic riding instructors are trained how to give riding lessons and to make goals for individuals with disabilities, not how to provide a therapy treatment. Insurance companies can not be billed for therapeutic riding. Hippotherapy is a treatment tool utilized by licensed or registered physical, occupational, or speech therapists. The therapists are conducting a medical treatment and charge as such. The therapists have specific training in providing therapy. They are not giving a riding lesson.
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