Riding Horses to Treat Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy, a neurological disorder that impairs cognition and movement, is an incurable condition that affects about four in every 1,000 babies born in the U.S.

While life-long cerebral palsy treatments will typically include medication and physical therapy, researchers are currently working on finding newer, better treatment options that, ideally, have fewer side effects.

Among one of these newer options is hippotherapy, the use of horses in the process of physical, occupational and/or speech therapy.

How Cerebral Palsy Affects the Body

To understand how riding horses can benefit cerebral palsy patients, it's first important to understand how cerebral palsy affects the body. Depending on the type of cerebral palsy a person lives with, he will experience one or more of the following:

ataxia, perception impairments and difficulty balancing
dyskinesia, involuntary or uncontrollable movements
spasticity, stiff or impaired movements

In addition, some with cerebral palsy also experience difficulty speaking, seizures and mental retardation. Consequently, medication, speech therapy and assistive technologies (such as wheelchairs and computer recognition programs) are commonly used to treat cerebral palsy.

How Horses Can Help Cerebral Palsy Patients

Interestingly, the act of riding a horse stimulates many of the body's systems while also helping cerebral palsy patients to develop strength in the body's core muscle groups. By riding horses, cerebral palsy patients can:

improve their balance and posture
stimulate their circulation
strengthen their core muscles
improve their coordination and eye movements (as it takes coordination to properly guide the horse)
simulate walking (as the horse's movements help the rider's legs to move in the same way they would if the rider were walking normally)

Along with these physical benefits is the fact that riding horses can significantly improve cerebral palsy patients' optimism and self-esteem, as this outside therapy becomes even more rewarding when patients connect with compassionate creatures.

Therapeutic Riding Programs

Because hippotherapy may not be covered by insurance, some recommend simply enrolling cerebral palsy patients in "therapeutic riding programs," which often offer charity-funded financial assistance.

(Source: Regarding Horses)

Do you have a family member living with cerebral palsy? If so, contact a cerebral palsy lawyer for more information and resources regarding your legal rights.