EAT: Equine Assisted Therapy

Since the ancient Greeks, horses have been utilized as a therapeutic aid for people with all kinds of ailments.  Hippocrates discussed the therapeutic value of riding in his writings.  More currently, Hippotherapy was developed in the 1960's, when it began in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.  It was used as an adjunct to traditional physical therapy.  Therapeutic riding began with Liz Hartel from Denmark.  Her legs were paralyzed from polio, but with therapy was able to win  the silver medal for dressage in the 1952 Olympics.  Therapeutic riding has been used in the U.S since the 1960's, when it was used to address orthopaedic dysfunctions like sciolosis.  Today it is used for all kinds of disabilities, from blindness to mental illness.

Horses are trained and selected specifically for therapy before being integrated into a program.  Any breed of horse can be used, but the horse must be calm, even-tempered, gentle and serviceably sound.

Today, equine-assisted therapy is used by medical professionals such as occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, psychologists, social workers and recreational therapists.  It has been shown, along with more traditional methods of treatment, to improve the quality of life for those receiving it.