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In this episode of the "OT is In" podcast, Gina Taylor and I dive deep into the world of hippotherapy. Gina is an occupational therapist and hippotherapy clinical specialist. Together we discuss the benefits of incorporating horses into therapy for children with special needs. Gina explains the different types of equine therapy, particularly focusing on hippotherapy and its role in occupational therapy.

Gina how different activities in hippotherapy address motor skills, social skills, and cognitive skills in children. Gina also shares insights on the academic ties of hippotherapy, working with the POWER framework, and how parents can navigate insurance coverage for hippotherapy.

In this episode you'll hear about:

• Equine Therapy and Homeschooling
• The differences between homeschooled and traditionally schooled teenagers in volunteering
• Defines equine therapy as therapy for horses
• Differentiates between adaptive/therapeutic horseback riding, equine-assisted psychotherapy, and hippotherapy
• Gina discusses how she assesses children's movement patterns and sensory differences
• Explains the selection of horses based on their movement and temperament for therapy
• Provides examples of pairing horse movement with specific child needs for therapy
• Therapy requirements vary based on age and individual abilities
• The importance of safety awareness and the ability to follow directions, especially for teenagers
• Posture and physical abilities play a role in determining readiness for hippotherapy
• Executive Functioning Skills in Hippotherapy
• Describes the importance of safety awareness and response inhibition in hippotherapy
• Using the horse's behavior responses to teach children about their actions
• Explains how hippotherapy can help children develop self-regulation and social skills
• Outlines a typical session routine including body mapping, grooming tasks, and horseback riding
• The integration of motor, cognitive, and emotional activities during a hippotherapy session
• The importance of functional activities and evaluation at the end of the session
• Demonstrates how hippotherapy activities can target academic, cognitive, and physical objectives
• Highlights the connection between hippotherapy sessions and functional skills development
• Discusses how hippotherapy activities can improve academic skills such as organization and sequencing
• Using the Power Framework in hippotherapy sessions to tie in academic concepts
• Describes how lessons learned in hippotherapy can be applied to daily living tasks at home
• Advises on questions to ask therapists when considering hippotherapy for a child

Links and Resources From Today's Show

• Why Should I Seek Occupational Therapy?
• What are Executive Functioning Skills?
• Executive Functioning Focus Group
• Board Games to teach Executive Functioning
• What is Hippotherapy?
• Episode 9- The Impact of Music on Executive Functioning with Mandy Doman
• Equine-Assisted Occupational Therapy at the Temple Grandin Equine Center
• Introduction to Hippotherapy for Occupational Therapy Practitioners
• Find a Certified Hippotherapy Therapist
• POWER Handout from Epona Therapy
• Epona Therapy (for parents)
• Animals & Aquatics podcast for OT's