Hippotherapy

By definition, according to http://www.brighthub.com/health/alternative-medicine/articles/16082.aspx, "Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational, or speech and language therapy treatment method that is based on the movement of a horse. The patient is made to ride a horse and is monitored by the therapist. It is generally used to treat the neurological disorders that accompany multiple sclerosis.", among many other disorders.

I have been saying that my riding helps me since I first started having symptoms, and yesterday was no exception.  Actually, I've been saying I was better on four legs then I was on my own two for MANY years.  Anyway, I've been doing PT in my home for a while now (3.5 weeks), trying to get strong and steady enough that I felt safe taking Cody out with me to appointments, etc. on my own.  It has been helping, but apparently, my three and a half hours sitting and riding my 'therapy horse', Cherokee, Sunday tipped the scales.  I did more yesterday than I have been doing, and then I had energy, etc. to do.  Did some cleaning - standing, not staying in the power chair!  I mostly just walked around Sunday, but did get in a little trotting and cantering.  I also threw my leg over the saddle horn a few times, side saddle style, which got easier each time I did it.  That's why I refer to Cherokee as my 'therapy horse', because he's pretty rock solid on not doing anything 'stupid' and actually served AS a therapy horse for a summer. 

I must have been a little more tired than I thought, lol, because I didn't think what I wrote above was making sense, so I just saved to and am finishing the page today.  It wasn't too bad, but did need a few adjustments to make the sentences flow a little better. :-)

Back to hippotherapy;  two years ago, pre - having my baby,  I was back to cantering already.  Whereas riding in general is helpful, Nate noticed a definite difference/improvement in my own gait after I'd cantered a little.  I am now on the search for either what research has already been done, or someone willing to do research on how the different gaits of a horse affect the body and the nervous system.  I'll keep the blog posted on anything I find out.














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