Horseback riding is a fun recreational activity for all. Known as a progressive form of therapy, the activity has multiple benefits. Horseback riding therapy allows disabled riders to develop strength and provides connections to support their emotional needs.
Horseback Riding Therapy Lessons are Planned Ahead
There should always be an initial meeting between the instructor and the disabled individual’s carers to talk about what notable factors they are seeking in these lessons.
The lessons should be carefully planned out so that students will not get overwhelmed.
The Physical Benefits of Horseback Riding Therapy
Balance and Strength
Horseback riding develops balance, strength, and range of motion. Students get a better sense of motor skills along with faster reflexes. Horseback riding therapy is integral to help with physicality by improving sensory motion.
Muscle Movements
Balance is a key lesson in horseback riding. It’s easy to get thrown off balance when the horse is in motion. Over time, riders access deeper muscle movements and their core strength.
Respiratory and Circulatory System Benefits
Aside from strength and flexibility, this recreational activity is also highly profitable to the respiratory and circulatory system.
Help with Posture
Within the lessons, students’ sitting positions are changed around in various positions to work different arrays of muscles.
Horseback Riding Therapy is Beneficial in Social Connection
Aside from the physical benefits that help students gain better control of hand/eye coordination, horseback riding therapy assists people in building their social groups and connections.
Riding together is a wonderful way to meet new people. During lessons, students interact with their teacher and other students – and hopefully have a lot of fun!
Interaction with Animals During Horseback Riding Therapy
If it’s a student’s first time riding a horse, the experience could be overwhelming. Once they adjust to this new experience, then they find new respect for the animals and maybe even find a new friend in the horse they are riding.
Communication with students and horses is a highly important part of sessions. Horses are known to be deeply empathetic to students with particular needs and the student may find a horse to be a calming influence.
As students learn to use non-verbal cues to communicate with the horse, they will benefit greatly from their interactions with the animal and will often find great joy when the horse responds positively to their instruction.
Horseback Riding Therapy has Psychological Benefits
Self-Learning and Self-Confidence
Horseback riding is a chance for students to learn about themselves. It’s an exciting opportunity to connect with themselves to see what they like, and how they react in certain situations and when faced with new experiences. As the student’s well being increases, so will their confidence as their riding skills improve.
Risk Management Abilities
Because horseback riding carries various risks, students learn risk-management abilities. The benefits of lessons teach better emotional control along with self-discipline.
Learning from Mistakes
Eventually, everyone has to learn (and not just in horseback riding therapy) that is okay to fail. Students learn from their mistakes and then improve next time.
Control Over Emotions
Horses don’t like loud noises. Through these lessons, riders can start to to manage emotional outbursts, and instead appropriately express more positive emotions.
Sense of Accomplishment
Riders will feel a sense of accomplishment as they succeed in reaching their goals and achieve new levels in their riding skills. Horseback riding is a tremendous help to students with emotional challenges to obtain better confidence and self-esteem. It also lets students seek independence.
The Value of Patience
Riding a horse is not an activity that you learn overnight. Being patient in the learning process and in repetitive tasks that help riding skills improve can teach students the value of practicing a task.
The Educational Benefits of Horseback Riding Therapy
As well as physical and mental benefits, horseback riding can help students to attain better focus.
Listening Skills
During lessons, students have to listen to their instructor and work to implement their suggestions while also paying attention to the horse and other riders around them. It’s multi-tasking at its best and it’s a great way to hone those listening skills.
Gross-motor Skills
Horseback riding requires complex movement – and perhaps very different types of movement to what students can be used to. Students with physical needs can find that horseback riding therapy will improve flexibility, balance and muscle strength.
Visual Pattering
For students who have a hard time learning visually, this practice is excellent training for them to practice their visual learning. Students will learn to differentiate between a range of obstacles.
Improved Hand-Eye Coordination
To ride a horse requires a substantial amount of hand-eye coordination which can help in a range of activities in day-to-day life.
Outdoor Exercise
For those who have a disability that restricts their outdoor activities, riders often enjoy chance to get outside. Horseback riding is a huge benefit for students to enjoy the great outdoors and can increases their interest in the outside world.
A Sense of Normality
Horseback riding therapy breathes a sense of normality to riders. We are all different. By mastering the skills of learning how to horseback ride, they experience a bit of normalcy that they may not feel in their daily life. It connects them to themselves, with other people, and the world.