Healthier on horseback

Equine therapy helps kids get a jump on developmental disabilities

By Tia Tappan

Photo courtesy of Hixson Therapeutic Riding

Emory Rutledge enjoys horseback riding, but not just for leisure; the 5-year-old goes to Hixson Therapeutic Riding for equine therapy.

Emory is diagnosed with cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder caused by abnormalities in parts of the brain that control muscle movement. Her parents, Rex and Julie Rutledge, came to Hixson Therapeutic Riding after her physical therapist suggested that equine therapy would help her build strength, balance and coordination.

“We’ve seen tremendous improvement in her core muscles and balance,” the Rutledges say. “The therapy has improved other physical activities, like jumping and balancing on one foot, that she was very limited in doing before”.

Equine therapy is a form of physical therapy that helps children with developmental challenges like autism and cerebral palsy improve their emotional, mental and physical abilities.

Besides enhancing balance and coordination, equine therapy also is designed to facilitate development in other areas, including

• cognitive activity
• sensory integration
• muscle tone
• gross and fine motor skills
• physical stamina
• posture
• independence and social skills
• emotional stability
• self-esteem
• vocalization

Horseback riding is a great way to improve mental and physical development, says Hixson native Dottie Davis, director of Hixson Therapeutic Riding. Factors such as speed, rhythm and the motion of riding a horse significantly impact the brain and the body. Riding also improves mood, which is particularly beneficial for paraplegics and patients with other neurological disorders.

The bond between the horse and the rider is another benefit of equine therapy, as it builds trust—an area of emotional development that is often hard to establish when one has a serious illness.

Hippocratic history

According to the San Antonio-based Saddle Light Center, the origin of equine therapy can be traced back to Hippocrates, the Greek physician considered the father of Western medicine. Around 460 B.C., Hippocrates is noted as having written that horseback riding is “natural exercise” that is essential to human health, a way of stimulating the functions of the human body. The term “hippotherapy” is connected to Hippocrates and is often used synonymously with equine therapy.

In 1569, Italian physician Hieronymus Mercurialis wrote The Art of Gymnastics, in which he discussed the benefits of riding and its effects on the restoration and maintenance of health.

It was not until the 1950s, however, when the link between horse, people and health transformed into a therapeutic practice for people with developmental challenges—a practice thought to have originated in England, Germany and Scandinavia. Soon afterwards, therapeutic riding gained international attention when a Danish rider, Liz Hartel, won a silver medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. Hartel had used horseback riding to rehabilitate herself from polio, which once confined her to a wheelchair.

In 1969, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association was founded in Middleburg, Va., and an international organization, the Federation for Riding for the Disabled International, launched in the mid-1970s. The American Hippotherapy Association and the initiation of the first Hippotherapy Clinical Specialists examination followed in 1992 and 1999.

Today NARHA promotes safe, ethical therapeutic equine practices and offers education for those seeking certification in operating standards and instruction.

Growing in Hixson

Established in 2007, the nonprofit Hixson Therapeutic Riding is a 400-acre arena located at 6511 Middle Valley Rd. Built by the Special Olympics, the arena is run and operated by Dottie Davis and her husband Bob; Rachel Hay, executive director; and instructor Samantha Linger, a student in the occupational therapy program at The University of Tennessee Chattanooga. Dottie Davis says the operation is currently expanding, and she is looking for donated land to house the facility as it continues to grow.

Last October, it hosted its third annual Special Olympics Equestrian Area 4 event, in which a number of riders competed. State Sen. Bo Watson (R-Hixson) was in attendance for a second time, opening the ceremony on horseback, while flags were presented by the Chattanooga Mounted Patrol.

Aside from its therapy sessions, Hixson Therapeutic Riding offers riding lessons for beginners and advanced riders. All of the horses there are donated, having worked as therapy horses before coming to the facility, Davis says.

“We look for very calm horses that work well with children,” she says. “They have to relate well with other people, and cannot have any vices”.

For Emory Rutledge, the equine therapy offered at the facility has been most beneficial. “We have had the best experience,” say Rex and Julie. “Our daughter has felt very comfortable from the beginning. Horseback riding has been such a positive force in our little girl’s life, and we are so thankful to have found Hixson Therapeutic Riding.”

<!– /* Font Definitions */ @font-face {font-family:”Times New Roman”; panose-1:0 2 2 6 3 5 4 5 2 3; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:50331648 0 0 0 1 0;} /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:”"; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

Building strength and confidence: Five-year-old Emory Rutledge, who has cerebral palsy, rides Star during an equine therapy session at Hixson Therapeutic Riding.

Tia Tappan is a student at The University of Tennessee Chattanooga and an intern for Chattanooga Parent magazine.

Learn more about equine therapy

On the Web: ForwardStride.org or TheSaddleLightCenter

In Chattanooga: Contact Hixson Therapeutic Riding at 870-1200