Harnessing the benefits of hippotherapy

It is over 60 years since doctors discovered the advantages of animal therapy, with dogs, horses, dolphins and lamas the typical choices. BR asked Anda Pacurar, a well-known psychologist who specializes in hippotherapy, how it works.

By Tatiana Lazar

What is hippotherapy?

Hippotherapy is a psychotherapeutic technique that involves a horse. Is a very effective physiotherapy in medical terms, stimulating areas that a doctor cannot stimulate by traditional means. Almost any animal can provide physical support for therapy, but horses have the advantage that they have a natural affinity with human beings, and that they can be ridden – meaning they can raise the patient from her/his reality, at the same time maintaining a natural walk.

What are the most common conditions that can be treated by hippotherapy?

Autistic spectrum disorders, anxiety, depression, social integration difficulties, social reintegration of victims of abuse such as bullying, eating disorders and learning disorders are the most common ones. Most of the patients who come for therapeutic horse-riding have tried psychotherapeutic methods unsuccessfully.

How important is contact with horses for children? At what age can a child start riding a horse?

The horse is 50 percent physical and 50 percent emotional and children are in need of emotional support for their development. In the first years of life, means of expression, including verbal, are limited and so often they cannot alert adults to their needs, because they do not understand. While working with children and horses I noticed that as soon as there is physical contact between the child and the horse they relax, smile or even become emotional, sometimes crying, after which they become very calm.

There isn’t a specific age to begin. A very young child can ride accompanied by a psychotherapist or a family member. The youngest child I have worked with was less than two years old, and had been diagnosed with autism and delayed intellectual development. After one year the child began to develop normally, speaking, expressing themselves and responding to the condition. Some theories claim that while riding a child feels like they are in the mother’s womb – this is because the animal is going dimensional, like a human being.

Often, children are afraid of contact with others and have great difficulty adjusting. A child’s basic emotional needs are to be connected (the horse is very attentive and responds to verbal commands and the child’s body), capable to contribute (including an energy exchange which takes place by the horse and child balancing each other) and to have courage (the child feels s/he can, gains control and self-control).

What does a hippotherapy session include?

An instructor leads the horse, while I focus on the client and check the condition of the horse, who can provide valuable information. For example, strong breath from the horse shows me how emotionally charged the person is. I have a good relationship with the horse and the client notices this and makes a reliable transfer, meaning s/he develops a good relationship with the horse. The client approaches the horse in his/her own rhythm, so s/he can observe the horse, hear my stories about each animal, brush and shower the horse, clean its hooves, and so on.

How much does this kind of therapy cost?

It isn’t cheap but the advantage is the complexity of it, being emotional, cognitive and relational at the same time. For example, a child with autism who was totally dependent on the mother took only four sessions to ride, walk and talk to us in a relaxed way. Therapy does not stop here but progress is very important. City Arts Association has often managed to find people willing to provide financial support to those in need. Whenever someone wants this type of psychotherapy, funding solutions are found. A session costs RON 200 and the person must travel to Tancabesti.

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