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History of Equine Physical Therapy

According to the American Hippotherapy Association (AHA), equine physical therapy, or hippotherapy, can be traced back to the work of Hippocrates around the 5th century B.C. Physical therapists can provide treatments for patients to improve motor skills such as walking, sitting and standing.

  1. Early History

    • The Asociacion de Equinotherapia Ismael Pinto website reports French neurologist Chassaignac saw the therapeutic advantages of horse riding in 1875 A.D. Chassaignac noted the improvement in the skills of patients with neurological disorders and paraplegics, including balance and control.

    Development

    • Equine therapies began to be used at the U.K.'s Oxford Hospital at the end of World War I, but were not fully developed into a physical therapy treatment until the 1960s. The AHA reports hippotherapy was developed in Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the 1960s with U.S. physical therapists developing equine therapies in the 1970s.

    Hippotherapy

    • The AHA reports physical therapy has been developed to improve trunk control, balance and muscle strength. Equine physical therapy is seen as important by the AHA as a patient must make subtle changes to their body to stay balanced as the horse moves and changes its gait.

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