Programs
Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy – Equine Assisted Therapy
Derived from the Greek hippos (horse), “hippotherapy” refers to therapy aided by a horse. The use of horses in healing has roots in the ancient writings of Hippocrates, with more formal therapeutic development emerging in Europe in the 1960s.
Research has shown that movement on a horse stimulates the development of neural connections in the brain that support language and motor development. Equine-assisted therapy physically addresses muscle tone, posture, and respiratory control. Benefits related to communicative challenges include increased speech production and more efficient language use. Therapeutic riding offers a high-affect shared experience that meets therapeutic goals based on individual profiles, and provides opportunities for children to engage, interact, and regulate a range of emotions.
A growing body of research continues to support these outcomes. A 2022 systematic review and meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that therapeutic horseback riding programs can considerably improve social behaviors and communication skills in children with ASD, with a meaningful impact in areas of social awareness, social cognition, social motivation, and social communication.
The Lionheart School partners with Lioncrest Farms, a local equine facility, to bring this evidence-based therapy directly into our students’ educational experience. Sessions are facilitated by a licensed hippotherapist, ensuring that each child’s time with the horses is intentionally designed, therapeutically grounded, and tailored to their individual goals.
Occupational Therapists At Lionheart
At Lionheart, an Occupational Therapist certified in Hippotherapy through the American Hippotherapy Association, with a degree in equine animal sciences provides hippotherapy for the students three times a week. A student’s individual profile determines frequency of participation. Additional hippotherapy can be contracted through lioncrestfarms@gmail.com.
Benefits
- Balance and Postural Control – Motor Planning and Core Development
- Integration of vision, touch, smell, hearing – plus vestibular (where body is in space) and Proprioceptive (movement)
- Coordination and Attention
- Increased Self-Control, Confidence and Self-Esteem
How does this translate into the Classroom?
- Posture for sitting and handwriting
- Left/Right orientation to read (vision) and write (visual-motor)
- Motor-planning – for language and cognitive skills
- Movement provides the body input to stay calm, focused and alert —- Ready to LEARN
