B
BubblyCurlsBugg
Guest
Hi there!! 
I want to become a hippotherapist! Hippotherapy is therapy using horses. Here is an exerpt from a website that tells about hippotherapy.
"Hippotherapy is a treatment that uses the multidimensional movement of the horse; from the Greek word "hippos" which means horse. Specially trained physical, occupational and speech therapists use this medical treatment for clients who have movement dysfunction.
Hippotherapy uses activities on the horse that are meaningful to the client. Treatment takes place in a controlled environment where graded sensory input can elicit appropriate adaptive responses from the client. Specific riding skills are not taught (as in therapeutic riding), but rather a foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing. This foundation can then be generalized to a wide range of daily activities.
Physically, hippotherapy can improve balance, posture, mobility and function. Hippotherapy may also affect psychological, cognitive, behavioral and communication functions for clients of all ages. Clients who may benefit from hippotherapy can have a variety of diagnoses: examples include Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Developmental Delay, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Autism and Learning or Language Disabilities. However, hippotherapy is not for every client. Each potential client must be evaluated on an individual basis by specially trained health professionals." (If you go to google.com, and then type in American Hippotherapy Association it will bring up their website if anyone is interested in learning more about Hippotherapy. I would post a link, but I don't have enough posts to do so yet.)
I included the website incase some of you wanted to check it out! I want to use hippotherapy as a form of Ministry to people. I feel it is a calling from God, and I realized this while I was reading the book "The Dream Giver." (My boyfriend gave it to me, VERY good book! I highly recommend it!)
Along with working with the disabled, I want to work with people without disabilities as well, with normal horseback riding. I want to open my own ranch one day and have it be a faith-filled organization. I would find ways to include ministering to people along with having fun and learning with the horses, such as praying before riding, and teaching about God from the Bible (having a little group/individual Bible study), and I was thinking about having them memorize verses.
If anyone has suggestions on how I could incorporate ministry into the riding/therapy lessons, please let me know!! It is greatly appreciated! I was also wondering if anyone knew anything about hippotherapy, what degree in college would be helpful in attaining certification to be a hippotherapist, or just any information at all. I am in my sophomore year in college, and am a Psychology major, but if I need to change to something different, I want to do that as soon as I can. I know since I will be working with disabled children, I will need training/teachings in that area, so any helpful ideas/comments/information will be very much appreciated! I believe I can get the training needed with the horses from a ranch, but if anyone does know another way to obtain this, please let me know! Thank you for taking the time to read this! I know it is long!
Living for Christ,
BCB
I want to become a hippotherapist! Hippotherapy is therapy using horses. Here is an exerpt from a website that tells about hippotherapy. "Hippotherapy is a treatment that uses the multidimensional movement of the horse; from the Greek word "hippos" which means horse. Specially trained physical, occupational and speech therapists use this medical treatment for clients who have movement dysfunction.
Hippotherapy uses activities on the horse that are meaningful to the client. Treatment takes place in a controlled environment where graded sensory input can elicit appropriate adaptive responses from the client. Specific riding skills are not taught (as in therapeutic riding), but rather a foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing. This foundation can then be generalized to a wide range of daily activities.
Physically, hippotherapy can improve balance, posture, mobility and function. Hippotherapy may also affect psychological, cognitive, behavioral and communication functions for clients of all ages. Clients who may benefit from hippotherapy can have a variety of diagnoses: examples include Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Developmental Delay, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Autism and Learning or Language Disabilities. However, hippotherapy is not for every client. Each potential client must be evaluated on an individual basis by specially trained health professionals." (If you go to google.com, and then type in American Hippotherapy Association it will bring up their website if anyone is interested in learning more about Hippotherapy. I would post a link, but I don't have enough posts to do so yet.)
I included the website incase some of you wanted to check it out! I want to use hippotherapy as a form of Ministry to people. I feel it is a calling from God, and I realized this while I was reading the book "The Dream Giver." (My boyfriend gave it to me, VERY good book! I highly recommend it!)
Along with working with the disabled, I want to work with people without disabilities as well, with normal horseback riding. I want to open my own ranch one day and have it be a faith-filled organization. I would find ways to include ministering to people along with having fun and learning with the horses, such as praying before riding, and teaching about God from the Bible (having a little group/individual Bible study), and I was thinking about having them memorize verses.If anyone has suggestions on how I could incorporate ministry into the riding/therapy lessons, please let me know!! It is greatly appreciated! I was also wondering if anyone knew anything about hippotherapy, what degree in college would be helpful in attaining certification to be a hippotherapist, or just any information at all. I am in my sophomore year in college, and am a Psychology major, but if I need to change to something different, I want to do that as soon as I can. I know since I will be working with disabled children, I will need training/teachings in that area, so any helpful ideas/comments/information will be very much appreciated! I believe I can get the training needed with the horses from a ranch, but if anyone does know another way to obtain this, please let me know!
Thank you for taking the time to read this! I know it is long! Living for Christ,
BCB
