therapeutical riding

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therapeutical riding

Therapeutic riding includes educational, psychological, psychotherapeutic, rehabilitative and socially integrative measures that are implemented through the horse medium . The target group are children, adolescents or adults with physical, mental and social developmental disorders or disabilities . The focus is on promoting development; Riding skills, on the other hand, are rather secondary.

The subject also includes other mounts that are rarely used today, such as donkeys, llamas and camels.

Sub-areas

Therapeutic horse riding

Working with the horse as a medium and riding in itself appeals to people holistically and through all of their senses. They are physically, emotionally, mentally and socially demanding. The relationship to the horse plays a key role in therapeutic horse riding. The riding therapist promotes constructive interaction with one another in the “client-horse-riding therapist” triangle. Learning experiences can be transferred to the group and practiced. Personal and social development is the goal.

The implementation takes place through direct contact and handling of the horse, through the care of the horse, through exercises on and on the guided horse, through work in the stable, with a person or in group work, for advanced riders in riding and in projects (equestrian games, Cross-country riding, trail riding ).

Special educational vaulting

Exercises

Gymnastic exercises and games of skill ( vaulting ) are performed on the horse led by the hand or on the lunge . The horse's rhythm of movement has a relaxing, balancing and anxiety-relieving effect, at the same time it appeals to the rider's perception in a variety of ways. Through individual therapy planning, the individual problems can be tailored to the requirements of the respective disability or disorder.

Hippotherapy

Hippotherapy uses horses for physiotherapy and occupational therapy . The patient sits in the gait step or trot on horseback. The horse's movement impulses are transmitted to the human pelvis and spine. The entire musculoskeletal system has to level out again. For example, people who are paralyzed on one side can develop a feeling for their core. At the same time, muscle tension can be positively influenced; Flabby muscles tense up, while spastic, i.e. excessively tight muscles, give way. This trains the entire posture, especially of the upper body, and improves the sense of balance .

Hippotherapy should not be used if there is inflammation of the spine, seizure disorders that have not been properly controlled by medication, an active episode of multiple sclerosis , risk of thrombosis or embolism , hemophilia or horse hair allergy.

In hippotherapy, the hippotherapist works with a physiotherapist or, if he is one himself, with a lunge guide.

Inclusive riding

In integrative riding, the focus is not on a therapeutic focus. The focus is on sporting activities and participation in general equestrian sports through special aids and equipment. The joy of physical activity, social integration and involvement and fun are central.

Occupational therapy with the horse

In occupational therapy with horses, everyday-oriented and client-centered, independence and self-determination are promoted in certain life situations. Perception, action planning and competence, self-confidence and coordination are promoted by the horse and its environment in order to be able to cope better with everyday situations.

Historical

Leopold Fleckles, doctor of medicine and member of the medical faculty in Vienna, referred to therapeutic riding for the cure of lung diseases as early as 1835; He wrote: “Riding is recommended by the most experienced physicians, older and more recent, for the heart and the observance of those with weak lungs.” And without citing the source, he quotes the famous English doctor Thomas Sydenham (1624–1689), who stated: “I know of no more proven remedy to eradicate lung addiction, than riding. "

Therapy horse

Specially trained horses are used for therapeutic riding . You are characterized by a calm, patient, sociable, sensitive character. Small horses ( Haflingers , Freiberger ) and ponies ( Icelandic horses ) with a height of about 150 cm are mostly used. See also vaulting horse .

A device that is sometimes practical and inexpensive to use for handicapped people is the mechanical trainer . With the help of movements that are based on the physiology of the horse as closely as possible, the device trains various muscle groups of the person sitting on it.

education

The profession of riding therapist is not a state-recognized training occupation , which is why institutions that train to become riding therapists require different qualifications. A basic pedagogical-therapeutic training (pedagogue, social pedagogue, educator, curative pedagogue) and proof of qualification as a rider are prerequisites for curative pedagogical riding, which the therapist, but not the patient, must meet. For the additional training in hippotherapy, you need a basic medical profession (e.g. physiotherapist, occupational therapist, doctor) in addition to the equestrian qualification.

organization

Germany

Therapeutic riding includes the following areas:

In addition to these three well-known fields of therapeutic riding, which were defined by the German Board of Trustees for Therapeutic Riding DKThR, the area of ​​"therapeutic support with the horse" has continued to develop. The main focus is on therapeutic action. The following areas of application can be found in this thematic framework:

  • Occupational therapy support with the horse
  • Speech therapy support with the horse
  • Psychotherapeutic support with the horse

This does not include equestrian sports for the disabled , which is a sport and not a therapy. In colloquial terms, therapeutic riding is also often referred to as riding therapy . From a professional point of view, however, riding therapy is an independent work area with parallels to therapeutic riding, which mainly deals with psychological and psychosomatic illnesses. There are separate training courses for both riding teachers and riding therapists.

For Germany, the Federal Ministry of Health announced on June 20, 2006 that a therapeutic benefit of hippotherapy had not been proven and that the therapy should therefore be listed as a remedy that cannot be prescribed (cf. BAnz. Of September 26, 2006, p. 6499) .

Curative riding and curative vaulting are part of the methodological offer at many child and youth welfare institutions and are paid for by the instructing bodies (e.g. in the case of home education) via the care rate or can also be part of outpatient assistance (see Böwer 2003). However, the costs are often to be borne privately.

Austria

The Austrian Board of Trustees for Therapeutic Riding divides therapeutic riding into the following areas:

  • Special educational and therapeutic support with the horse (formerly: special educational riding and vaulting)
  • Hippotherapy
  • Inclusive riding
  • Occupational therapy with the horse

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the Hippotherapy health insurance pays.

See also

literature

  • Theres Germann-Tillmann, Lily Merklin and Andrea Stamm Näf: Animal-assisted interventions: the multi-professional approach . Hans Huber Verlag, Bern 2014, 352 pages, ISBN 978-3-456-85416-8 .
  • Andrea Förster: Animals as Therapy - Myth or Truth? On the phenomenology of a healing relationship with a focus on humans and horses. Ibidem, ISBN 3-898-21421-4
  • HAWK University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hildesheim / Holzminden / Göttingen Faculty of Social Work and Health : curative education and social work, the use of the horse in the disabled and youth welfare (PDF 783KB) online publication, Hildesheim 2006 (with extensive literature list)
  • Bettina Güntert: Special educational aspects and effects of hippotherapy in children. Innsbruck 2003 (Diploma thesis Pedagogical Academy)
  • Ingrid Strauss: Hippotherapy: neurophysiological treatment with and on the horse. third, revised and expanded edition Hippokrates, Stuttgart 2000, ISBN 3-7773-1368-8 (with a contribution to children's hippotherapy by Emmy Tauffkirchen)
  • Armgard Schörle: Horse dreams, holistic approaches in riding lessons with children. 3rd, verb. Ed., ISBN 978-3926341181
  • Meike Riedel: Mensch & Pferd international magazine for support and therapy with horses, issue 4, 3rd year 2011, Reinhardt Verlag pp. 187–189

Web links

Associations / training providers

Court judgments

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Integrative Riding - Austrian Board of Trustees for Therapeutic Riding. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 15, 2017 ; accessed on June 2, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.oktr.at
  2. ^ Occupational therapy with horses - Austrian Board of Trustees for Therapeutic Riding. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 15, 2017 ; accessed on June 2, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.oktr.at
  3. Leopold Fleckles: Examining looks at the most excellent disease predispositions to protracted ailments, in prophylactic and dietetic relation, with special consideration for fountain and whey cures and the cure of consumption , J. Scheible's Buchhandlung, Stuttgart 1835, p. 20 f.
  4. See Riedel, Meike: Mensch & Pferd Heft 4, 3rd year 2011, pp. 187–189
  5. DKThR - German Board of Trustees for Therapeutic Riding eV Accessed on October 16, 2018 .
  6. The 4 Divisions of Therapeutic Riding - Austrian Board of Trustees for Therapeutic Riding. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on July 15, 2017 ; accessed on June 2, 2017 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.oktr.at