Horses Hearts and Hands (H3)
What is Equine Assisted Therapy?
Equine Assisted Therapy is the use of horses to provide a unique type of physical and mental therapy to riders. The lessons consist of small groups of horseback riders, or individuals, accompanied by an instructor, and volunteers in the lesson arena.
Every day in these lessons we are lucky to witness how therapeutic horseback riding heals, and improves an individual’s quality of life in several crucial areas:
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Physically - Riders must use all of the muscles of the body to respond to a horse’s natural movement and rhythm, thus improving the rider’s flexibility, balance, strength, coordination and posture.
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Emotionally - Riders improve their confidence, and develop a positive attitude by achieving goals as they partner with their horse, and volunteers, whom they’ve bonded with in a supportive environment.
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Cognitively – Riding improves sequential thought processes, memory, attention span, self-awareness, and can help riders with articulating emotions, thus developing better social skills.
Derived from the classic latin term equus, equine refers to a horse, or a member of the horse family.
PATH is the foundational, accredited, ever evolving standard of Equine Assisted Activities Therapies (EAAT), which can include activities like vaulting, driving and therapeutic riding.
The origin of Path began in 1969 on the East coast of the United States. PATH has evolved in many phases, and in the beginning was called NARHA until 2010 when it's first international riding center began in China, and the name then changed to Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (PATH).
To discuss therapeutic horseback riding lessons or schedule an appointment for you or your child, use our contact forum or contact our founder directly:
Deborah Ellison
PATH Intl. Certified Instructor
(432) 352-5070