Senior Project Advisor

Scott, Fletcher

Document Type

Project

Publication Date

Fall 2018

Keywords

Hippotherapy, Speech and Language Pathology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy

Abstract

This research paper aims to answer the following questions, 1) how is hippotherapy used as a form of speech, physical, and occupation therapy, and 2) is it an effective method of treatment. This will be done by describing each aspect of hippotherapy and how it can be an essential form of rehabilitation. Hippotherapy is broadly defined as the use of a horse’s movement to facilitate physical, occupational, or speech therapy. While hippotherapy is becoming increasingly popular, it is not yet viewed as a mainstream form of therapy. There is still limited research on hippotherapy, and because it is not used on its own as therapy, it is considered an alternative form of therapy (Tinkham, 2017).

Research from various studies was compiled through a database search, and used to explain how hippotherapy is used for each therapy aspect, why it works, and why it is a valid form of therapy. It was found that hippotherapy has benefitted countless patients and can be a very effective tool when used in the right situation. Hippotherapy is most often used in addition to the more conventional methods of therapy, because while effective, hippotherapy cannot always address all of the patients therapy needs. It was also found that hippotherapy is not suited for every individual and its use must be evaluated on a case by case basis, like many other forms of therapy. Overall, hippotherapy can be a remarkable supplemental form of therapy, and can provide unique outcomes that aren’t always possible through traditional therapy.

Department

Communication Sciences and Disorders

Subjects - Topical (LCSH)

Horsemanship--Therapeutic use; Physical therapy; Occupational therapy; Speech therapy

Genre/Form

student projects; term papers

Type

Text

Rights

Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.

Rights Statement

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language

English

Format

application/pdf

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