Hippotherapy vs. therapeutic riding

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In addition to hippotherapy, both EquiFriends in Snohomish and Little Bit in Woodinville offer therapeutic riding. The sessions are very different.

Hippotherapy is prescribed by a physician and involves both a riding instructor and a physical, occupational or speech therapist.

Hippotherapy patients typically use a pad rather than a saddle so they can feel the horse's movement, and they don't control he horse.

In therapeutic riding, children as young as 5 and adults of all ages with physical and mental disabilities are taught to ride not only to provide physical benefits but to help riders feel independent and make friends.

Some hippotherapy patients, after showing significant improvement in physical and mental abilities, graduate to therapeutic riding, where they use a saddle and learn to control the horse.

Certification and safety

The North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), created in 1969 as a clearinghouse for information on therapeutic riding, set safety standards and created certification programs for instructors and accreditation programs for riding centers. In 1993, the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) was created and serves a similar function.

Physical, occupational and speech therapists can earn certification in hippotherapy through NARHA by completing educational courses provided by AHA and getting at least 20 hours of experience using hippotherapy.

Therapeutic riding and hippotherapy centers can also become "premier accredited" members of NARHA if they meet the organization's safety benchmarks such as following the helmet rule, employing at least one NARHA-certified instructor, passing an on-site inspection and meeting other safety guidelines.

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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