Hippotherapy

Equine Assisted Therapy

Beyond Boundaries Therapy provides hippotherapy with use of specially trained physical and occupational therapist. It involves the therapist using the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input. A foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing, which can be generalized to a wide range of daily activities. Unlike therapeutic horseback riding, the movement of the horse is a means to a treatment goal when utilizing hippotherapy as a treatment strategy.

How is hippotherapy unique?

The horse's unique walk transfers variable, repetitive and rhythmic movement to the client, which provides sensory input to the brain and nervous system. The resultant responses in the client are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. An average horse takes 120 walking steps per minute, allowing 120 chances each minute for a client to experience this unique movement that cannot be replicated by other apparatus or equipment.

During a session the therapist, working in conjunction with a specially trained horse handler, can grade or adapt this move-ment to provide a "just right challenge" for each client. Most clients respond very enthusiastically to hippotherapy treatment and thoroughly enjoy the opportunity to engage with the horse in an environment that is much different than the typical therapy clinic.

It helps with strength, control, balance, posture, endurance, coordination, sensory integration, and understanding of visual cues.

Who does it help?

A wide variety of clients can experience benefits from hippother-apy. Some diagnoses commonly treated by our therapists in-clude:

• Attention Deficit Disorder
• Autism
• Cerebral Palsy
• Closed Head Injury
• Developmental Delay
• Down Syndrome
• Emotional Disorders
• Hearing Impairment
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Paralysis
• Scoliosis
• Spinal Bifida
• Traumatic Brain Injury

How long is a session? What  does it cost?

Sessions typically last 45-60 minutes, with a portion of each session on the horse, as well as a portion of the session off the horse.

Insurance or Medicaid is billed directly for this program. Families are responsible for deductibles, copay-ments and any portion of the program not covered by their policy.

All hippotherapy sessions take place at the NDSU Equine Center—5140 19th Avenue North, Fargo, ND 58102 Contact us today to see if Hippotherapy is right for you.