Hippotherapy refers to a form of speech, occupational, and physical therapy that utilizes equine movement to develop and better physical and neurological functioning by channeling the horse’s movement. Hippotherapy isn’t the same as therapeutic horse riding, where people are taught particular riding skills. HIppotherapy is built on the notion that the person’s variable gait, cadence, repetition, tempo, and rhythm of a horse’s motion can influence neuromuscular development in humans. Hippotherapy, through equine motion, also works to further develop cognitive and physical abilities like balance, strength, posture, endurance, and others. After settling on hippotherapy, you have to choose a center. It is not easy to choose the best with so many hippotherapy centers. This page has some crucial tips to use when selecting a hippotherapy center.
First of all, consider a nearby hippotherapy center. There are many benefits of selecting a hippotherapy center near you. First, it will mean convenience because you won’t have to drive miles away, which encourages you to attend as many hippotherapy sessions as possible. Secondly, you can visit a potential hippotherapy center to observe how they do things hence selecting the best. Additionally, you’re in the same settings with people who have been to various hippotherapy centers, and they will give you reliable information about these centers. However, don’t just select a hippotherapy center simply because it is near you. Make sure it has the best offerings and professionals so you can benefit the most.
Secondly, it is crucial that you consider the staff. Employees of a hippotherapy center are very important because it is they that determine your experience. Often, people who work at hippotherapy centers are speech and language, physical, or occupational therapists. Make sure that these employees are rigorously trained and certified to practice within their respective disciplines. This way, you will be sure that the staff has acquired the necessary skills. Hence, they will appropriately direct the horse’s movement and change movement in a manner that’s safe for the patient. In addition, the employees will be able to monitor the patient to watch for adjustments in physical reactions such as strength, balance, control, and range of motion skills.
Another essential factor to consider in selecting a hippotherapy center is the license. As much as authorities require that all hippotherapy centers must carry valid licenses, not all centers do so. While some operate with invalid permits, some hippotherapy centers use fake ones. You should be sure you work with licensed hippotherapy centers. These undergo vetting before they are given licenses and are required to renew them after a given period. Renewal is done after a hippotherapy center affirms it bases its operations under the stipulated standards. If you deal with unauthorized hippotherapy centers, they could fail to help you make the modifications you need. Before settling for any hippotherapy center, get its license number and authenticate with the authorities.
As you can see, the process of getting the right hippotherapy center is not straightforward. However, by using the above tips, you’ll be sure of finding a hippotherapy center that suits you.