Therapeutic Benefits of Horse Riding
Traditionally, people and horses had a strong bond and whether the horse is used for the labor purpose or for interacting in various sport events like for instance show-jumping or horse racing. It was not only until the early eighteenth century that horseback riding was being used for the therapy.
The horses are believed to be having an amazing effect on people with certain psychological and social issues as well as physical problems. Some of these issues can include autistic children and those young people with the behavioral and addiction problems. It is also known to be an effective treatment for those with cerebral palsy and spinal injuries as well as the hearing and visual impairments and many other health conditions. People with the previously mentioned conditions are actually an ideal candidate for the horse riding therapy. The success of this can depend on whether a close bond between the horse and the patient is formed.
There is threefold benefits to that of the therapeutic horseback riding like the physical, social, and emotional improvements. The balance, posture, and self-esteem, and the muscle tone and the motor coordination can improve as the result of the horse riding. The therapeutic horseback riding aims to improve the circulation and the respiration and also the coordination of the person. This aims to also improve the relaxation and the self-esteem.
The equine therapy exercise is being developed and targets those needs of every individual that differ based on the various aspects. Some of this aspect can include the motivation of the rider and also the bond between the horse and that of the rider, the category of the disability and the severity of it. It is also found that horse riding can give a sense of stimulation and can motivate the patient in order to continue with the therapy while at the same time work through the pain and the discomfort. Thus, the horseback riding can compare favorably to that of the traditional kind of therapy.
People with psychological and emotional issues can be found to feel better right after a series of therapies. Those children with speech issues to gain confidence and to have developed into the social skills when being encouraged to provide the horse’s respective commands. The patience and the increased in the sense of self-esteem and the normality is being achieved. When sitting astride onto the horse in motion can have fundamental value therapeutically, which is actually the foundation towards building the well-planned, progressive, and objective exercise programs.
Lastly, the cerebral palsy is actually an incurable condition that affects the brain and also the central nervous system that will then cause muscle spasms, uncontrollable movements, and seizures as well. The techniques are being used to control, to that of a certain extent, those motor movement and also to improve the postures. The motions and the warmth of the horse can give long terms of relaxation to reflexes, motivation, and balance. So for those people with physical issues, there can be marked improvement in the muscle control and into the balance and posture with the decrease in the spasticity.