The East Point Horspice therapeutic riding program offers an opportunity to positively contribute to the physical, mental, social and emotional well-being of the riders. The natural rhythmic gait of the horse mimics that of a human’s; when riding, this often allows people with physical disabilities a mode to improve their flexibility, balance and strength. Muscles which may be compromised due to physical conditions are utilized in a way sometimes not offered in typical physical therapy settings. The horse becomes a tool, albeit a fuzzy, loving, empathetic tool, encouraging physical activity and exercise to individuals who may have not considered such practices a possibility.
Continued involvement through the program has time and again shown rider’s increased performance in these physical areas often leading to an improvement in the rider’s non-physical attributes, i.e., mental and emotional states. Through the relationship with the horse, the riders develop a bond which aids in their willingness to be involved with a physical activity making it seem less like work, more like fun, all the while experiencing the benefits of exercise, fresh air and comradery with the horses and the other riders and volunteers. Who wouldn’t love a work out machine at the gym that breathes, moves, provides hugs and enjoys seeing you show up every week?
EPH has witnessed over the years the amazing success stories of the physical and mental improvements of riders with autism, cerebral palsy, strokes and fear issues, just to name a few. This is a phenomenon realized by many therapeutic programs across the globe which has often been dismissed as an event hard to explain (if you’ve seen it you know what I’m talking about) but not scientifically quantified. As the appreciation of the horse as a therapy tool increases and becomes more understood, this touchy- feely type of program is gaining traction as a scientifically viable process to improve the lives of individuals with a plethora of conditions all of which have a distinct probability of improvement through the use of a horse. More and more science-based evidence is showing up on the internet and through highly regarded scientific literature. This is encouraging and offers credence to what EPH and the horses have been teaching for years.
If you are curious about involvement in a therapeutic riding program in your back yard, contact East Point Horspice at 762-3848, eph@bbc.net or www.eastpointhorspice.com. You are encouraged to become involved in a program where the horses become the teachers and the only tests are the ones you place upon yourself.