Horses and Disabilities: A Rewarding Match

When a tragic automobile accident left 17-year-old Cynthia Ruiz paralyzed from the waist down, she sold her horse, gave up competitive riding and swimming. She switched her attentions to academic achievements, marriage, and being a mother. After 20 years, Cynthia discovered that she could still enjoy—and greatly benefit from—the activity that shaped many of her childhood secrets, hopes, and dreams. 

“Until my 8-year-old daughter Katherine begged me for riding lessons and by chance we leased a horse from a volunteer instructor at a local therapeutic riding center, I’d never heard about riding as a form of therapy for mentally or physically challenged individuals,” says Cynthia.

The day after she found out about adaptive riding opportunities, Cynthia signed up for lessons.

As it turns out, Cynthia was not alone. According to Kaye A. Marks, director of marketing for the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, Inc. (NARHA), more than 40,000 individuals with disabilities participate in equine assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) at member centers across the United States alone. Thousands more experience the rewarding benefits of riding horses throughout the world. Far from excluding a person from interacting with horses, it turns out that having a disability can make riding beneficial on many levels. 

“Interactions with horses can prove quite rewarding for people with a physical, cognitive, or emotional special need,” says Kaye. “Rhythmically experiencing the motion of a horse moves the rider's body in a manner similar to a human gait, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, balance, and muscle strength. And for individuals with emotional challenges, the unique relationship formed with the horse can lead to increased confidence, patience, and self-esteem.”

Besides that, partnering with equines provides recreational opportunities for individuals to enjoy the outdoors while taking pleasure in the interaction with animals. 

EEAT takes two forms: hippotherapy, which is occupational, physical, or speech therapy conducted by a specially trained therapist; and therapeutic riding, which involves private, semi-private, or small-group lessons. While the former specifically uses the movement of the horse as a treatment strategy to improve such things as balance and postural control, coordination, and gross or fine motor skills, the primary goal of therapeutic riding is to learn riding and horsemanship skills. In both instances, riders frequently enjoy many of the same benefits, and both forms are taught by instructors trained in working with individuals with special needs. 

For Cynthia, getting back on a horse proved rewarding in more ways than she could have imagined. During her second semester of riding classes, she learned that dressage had just become a Paralympic sport; her competitive nature just kicked in automatically. As her confidence rose, she began competing at local shows against able-bodied riders (no other disabled riders competed in her area) and, after successfully competing locally, nationally, and internationally, she earned a spot on the 2004 Paralympic team in Athens. Once again, horses take center place in her hopes and dreams as she sets her sights on Beijing in 2008.

Resources and to find a teacher near you:

American Hippotherapy Association, http://www.americanhippotherapyassociation.org

Canadian Therapeutic riding Association, http://www.cantra.ca

The Federation of Riding for the Disabled International, http://www.frdi.net

North American Riding for the Handicapped Assoc., Inc., http://www.narha.org

To read more about animal therapy and service animals, see Service Dogs Meet Needs of Those with a Disability and Helper Monkeys: The Greatest Assistant You’ll Ever Need.