Equine therapy involves the use of horses for therapeutic purposes aimed at stimulating and/or rehabilitating the areas that make up the human being: physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional, with the main therapeutic objectives being health, education, and sport (Maciques, 2013).
ISEP offers specialized training in animal-assisted therapy. We see the three therapeutic principles in equine therapy (Gross, 2000):
-Transmission of body heat: the heat transmitted by the horse is approximately 38ºC and is used to distend and relax muscles and ligaments, as well as to stimulate tactile perception. In addition, increased blood flow stimulates the circulatory system, which generally benefits the physiological function of internal organs. At a psychotherapeutic level, the horse’s heat acquires great value in the psychoaffective area and enables hippotherapy to be carried out with excellent results in early stimulation and in people with physical disabilities, whether congenital or acquired.
-Transmission of rhythmic impulses: the horse transmits rhythmic impulses to the rider’s pelvic girdle, spine, and lower limbs. Human motor skills are performed through stimuli given from the periphery, and this practice provides physiological stimuli that regulate muscle tone and develop coordinated movement. Its psychotherapeutic value lies in offering a range of sensory experiences that enable sensory integration, which fosters confidence in the patient, who experiences new psychological reactions in relation to themselves and the environment.
-Transmission of a three-dimensional locomotion pattern, equivalent to the physiological pattern of human gait: this is of great importance in the treatment of neuromotor dysfunctions such as cerebral palsy. The human brain not only registers isolated movements but a whole range of motor patterns. The physiological pattern of human gait that the patient performs during riding is recorded in the brain and over time becomes automated, enabling its transfer to pedestrian gait. Its therapeutic value lies in the psychoaffective and pedagogical areas because it develops socio-integrative qualities in the human being such as analog (non-verbal) communication, tolerance, patience, and a sense of responsibility, which increasingly promotes the integration of equine therapy into the educational area, especially special education.
In this sense, the structuring of personality is then fostered, and the evolution and adaptation of the motor, affective, social, and cognitive behaviors of each individual with their environment are favored in a dialectical relationship: subject-body-environment (Maciques, 2013).
In the specific case of autism, understood as a lifelong diagnosis, various authors have undoubtedly demonstrated that adequate stimulation, especially early stimulation, allows for the development of skills that improve the functional performance of the child with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The proposal of the so-called “Combined Equine Therapy” is advocated, which consists, as the word indicates, of combining equine therapy with other classic rehabilitation techniques feasible to develop in the context of the centers, taking advantage of the unique environment that exists in these centers and involving parents through programmed interventions that train them to better face the stimulation of their children’s development.
Combined Equine Therapy is, above all, a comprehensive treatment modality that takes the best of various techniques, including: occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech therapy, art therapy, play therapy, plastic arts, music therapy, body expression, puppet therapy, and recreational activities planned with a therapeutic sense, all combined with equine therapy. The adaptation process of the child with ASD to equine therapy and related therapies, especially in the most severe cases, is often difficult and prolonged, but practical experience shows that, in most cases, they respond well and are interested in the activity. The horse represents a facilitating factor for an important group of activities that promote behavioral adjustments and socialization. It is also a motivational factor to interest the child in the surrounding environment. With ISEP’s Master in Animal-Assisted Therapy, you will discover different animals as therapeutic facilitators (dogs, horses, sea lions, etc.)
The effects that can be achieved with the child-horse relationship include:
– The development of verbal and non-verbal communication.
– The increase in attention and concentration.
– The increase in confidence and self-esteem.
– The development of will and motivation for the environment.
– The increase in the ability to adapt to the external environment.
– The decrease in aggressive impulses and self-stimulation.
– The development of cooperative behavior and responsibility.
The first step when a child with ASD arrives at the equine therapy center is to perform a thorough comprehensive evaluation. The evaluation is organized into three basic components: the first, referring to the biological aspect, where all relevant clinical history and all possible information about how clinical manifestations appeared are collected; the second component refers to the psychological sphere, here it is vital to characterize behavior, conduct, interests, motivations, things that stimulate him and those that irritate him, what catches his attention and what he finds indifferent; and the third element is to know the family and social context in which the child develops, the way the family, especially the people directly responsible for the child’s care, react is an important factor to consider when developing an intervention strategy.
The second step consists of discussing an individual intervention program that arises from the opinion of each member of the equine therapy center’s rehabilitation team, after having thoroughly evaluated the disabling syndrome affecting the child. It should be noted that with a child with autism, it would not be wise to set very ambitious goals; it is preferable to evaluate the course of treatment based on intermediate, well-defined, achievable goals that progressively influence the child’s functional independence.
Within the framework of Combined Equine Therapy, the need for the same professional to be responsible for working with the child on the various forms of treatment offered by the equine therapy center is advocated. This requires professionals to have transdisciplinary training.
Finally, it is important not to forget the principle of Behavioral Therapy, which is nothing more than the application of learning principles and techniques in behavior modification using reinforcers (rewards and punishments) and repetition. In other words, the therapist must be able to anticipate undesired behavior and avoid the factors that trigger it or divert attention in another direction at the opportune moment.
ISEP’s Master in Animal Therapy is a pioneer due to its interdisciplinary nature. It has the best teachers in the sector and is based on a methodology that combines practical learning and theoretical knowledge.