Hippotherapy is a kind of physical therapy that utilizes equine movement. Hippotherapy literally means "treatment with the help of the horse" from the Greek word "hippos" meaning horse. The amazing influence of the horse was well known in ancient times. Hippocrates, Aristotle, Denis Didro and other prominent scientists and philosophers produced scientific transactions on the benefits of horses in the treatment of ailments. During the times of Alexander the Great injured soldiers would be put on a horse to help their wounds heal faster. As a contemporary study hippotherapy started in Europe, in the 1950’s and then evolved in the United States, Canada, and in the beginning of 80's in the Soviet Union.


One of the main differences of hippotherapy from other kinds of physical therapies is its simultaneous physical and emotional impact on the patient.


Physical impact:

• The horse's path is similar to a human path, so the horse gives the right motion impulses to a rider with motor defects.
• The horse's body's temperature is 1-1.5 degrees higher than a human body’s so on a horse's back the rider's muscles get natural heating massage.
• On the pace, the horse makes about 110 multidimensional movements and the rider's body repeats those movements. Through these movements spastic muscles relax and at the same time weak muscles strengthen which is extremely important especially in the treatment of cerebral palsy.
• To keep balance on a horse the rider has to coordinate, synchronize his/her movements, and force all of his/her muscles to work (even those which usually are inactive).

Emotional impact:

• A child does not take hippotherapy session as a treatment but as a horseback riding learning process.
• Here it is the child who is important, who is “over” and not “under,” as usual. He/she has always been told, “You are not able, you are weak” and now he/she is sitting on a big, strong animal who obeys the commands emanating from his/her “sick, incapable hands”. That totally new feeling raises their self-confidence and self-esteem.
• Children help with the feeding and taking care of horses. They watch other children on horse. Their communication abilities increase and many fears disappear.

The range of illnesses which can partly or fully be treated through hippotherapy is large and includes cerebral palsy, autism, schizophrenia, spinal problems, scoliosis, Down’s syndrome, problems with the nervous system, osteochondrosis, prostatitis, post heart attack and stroke rehabilitation, and others.

Complications are present with a very few illnesses such as hemophilia, some kidney illnesses and the exacerbation of any illness.

Hippotherapy sessions are conducted by a hippotherapy practitioner who puts children on a horse's back in different positions, with and without a saddle and gives them different exercises depending on the individual problems of each; a horse-handler who leads the horse; and assistant if needed.