What are the Differences Between Equine Therapy and Hippotherapy?
As horse-assisted therapeutic approaches, equine therapy and hippotherapy are widely practiced in emotional and physical therapy. While both programs effectively use horses, they are very different. Hippotherapy uses the horse for its physical benefits, while equine therapy targets your emotional well-being.
Equine therapy can help you open up emotionally and is an especially beneficial option if you’ve tried therapy, but struggled to find that sense of connection with your therapist.
If you’ve ever considered horse therapy and its benefits, you may have found yourself wondering about hippotherapy vs. equine therapy and what each involves. In terms of their core approaches, hippotherapy benefits physical health, while equine-assisted therapy benefits emotional well-being. Of course there are more nuances than this, and we’ll break those down fully below.
In this guide from Ingrained Recovery, we’ll dive deeper into the differences and talk about how equine therapy might be the answer for your recovery journey.
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Understanding Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Horse therapy is a good alternative if you’ve struggled with talk therapy or psychotherapy in the past. During equine therapy, you’ll work with a licensed therapist and a horse specialist. Instead of focusing on human connection, you build a relationship with the horse.
You will develop trust and establish boundaries like you would in a human relationship. Equine-assisted psychotherapy lets you work through mental health issues using non-verbal communication and emotional awareness.
You are working with a horse, but you start to understand yourself better. Horses are prey animals that give feedback based on emotions around them. You will start to understand your thoughts, emotions, and the resulting behaviors. This information can be used to make meaningful change.
The American Hippotherapy Association on Hippotherapy
Equine psychotherapy heals the brain, while hippotherapy heals the body. Hippotherapy is used in physical, occupational, and speech therapy. There are stricter guidelines for doctors using hippotherapy, and it’s a much more clinical experience.
Many of the therapeutic benefits involve horseback riding to improve mental health. The way a horse moves is shown to improve posture, balance, coordination, and speech. Horseback riding benefits persons with physical disabilities, speech impediments, or conditions like multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and traumatic head injury.
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Hippotherapy vs Equine Therapy: What Is The Difference?
Hippotherapy is much more structured and has different goals than equine therapy. Both therapies might involve horseback riding, but the way the horses are used is different.
Treatment Goals
Hippotherapy is very structured and goal-oriented. For example, you may work toward better speech fluency or certain physical developments. A goal might be improving your gross motor skills or overcoming developmental delays.
During equine-based therapy, goals are centered around emotional or behavioral goals. For example, you may want to increase self-esteem or stop your substance use.
Session Leader
Equine-assisted therapy sessions might involve two practitioners; a mental health professional and a horse specialist. By contrast, hippotherapy requires a physical therapist.
Often, this therapist should be certified by the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International, the American Hippotherapy Association, or a similar program.
How Horses Are Used
When comparing hippotherapy vs. equine therapy, horseback riding can be implemented for either. It’s required during hippotherapy, when the rhythmic, physical movements of the horse are used to retrain your muscles and nervous system. Equine therapy can be achieved without horseback riding.
By contrast, equine therapy also involves equine-assisted activities. The horse may be used as a mirror to work through emotions or in other exercises that don’t involve climbing on top of the horse.
What to Expect During a Hippotherapy Session
Hippotherapy is a type of horseback riding therapy. You’ll be assessed by a physical therapist and set treatment goals. Depending on your physical ability and goals, you may sit, kneel, lie down on, or ride the horse. Specific exercises will be used to simulate different physical movements and cognitive processes.
What to Expect During Equine Therapy Sessions
During equine-assisted therapy, you’ll work with a mental health professional who guides you through an exercise with a horse. You may start with grooming the horse, leading it around, and saddling it. Having a calm demeanor is important, because if you are anxious or upset, the horse will be, too.
Horseback riding therapy can be a part of this, but it is not mandatory. On our large, 50-acre campus at Ingrained Recovery, there are many hiking and horseback riding trails that let our clients find peace in the great outdoors.
Knowing the Benefits of Equine Therapy for Your Mental Health
Equine therapy helps you build confidence and experience emotional growth. It works well for mental health disorders like depression, anxiety, eating disorders, PTSD, and trauma.
Equine-assisted therapy is also a great alternative if you’ve tried counseling before but struggled to open up or develop a relationship with your therapist. As you work with the horse, you’ll learn social skills, communication skills, and emotional regulation.
Equine Therapy for Substance Use Disorders
Equine therapy is a hands-on, experiential approach that has even been used for treating addiction. It teaches responsibility and trust, while giving people who are struggling a chance to look deeper.
You’ll develop emotional awareness, rebuilding traits that you may have lost during your active addiction. Horses work as a mirror and reflect back your current emotional state and past struggles.
Another benefit of working with horses is that it requires patience, a calm demeanor, and clear communication. These skills can carry over into your life after rehab, providing important building blocks that will help you make better decisions.
Is Equine Therapy Covered by Insurance?
Therapeutic horseback riding that is recommended for hippotherapy is a licensed treatment for physical, occupational, or speech therapy. Your insurance provider is more likely to cover hippotherapy than equine-assisted therapy. For equine-assisted therapy to be covered, it needs to be offered as part of a licensed mental health treatment program.
If you’re considering horse therapy at Ingrained Recovery, you may be wondering about the cost. We use horseback riding therapy as part of our holistic treatment programs for mental health and addiction. It may be covered by your insurance provider, and you can always call us directly to get information. We will easily verify your insurance over the phone and also answer any questions about coverage or costs (if any apply).
How We Use Equine-Assisted Therapy at Ingrained Recovery
Ingrained Recovery stands out from other facilities because horses are a big part of recovery here. We partner with the OK Corral for equine-assisted therapy sessions. You’ll work with a mental health professional and/or horse specialist, and of course, a beautiful horse.
Through structured, therapeutic activities, you start to connect with your emotions and bring them forward. Equine therapy gives you a chance to understand what you are feeling and how those emotions influence your thoughts and behaviors.
This deeper understanding offers an opportunity for change. You can learn to handle tough emotions, unwanted behaviors, and impulsive thoughts in a more positive way.
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Try a Different Approach to Wellness at Ingrained Recovery
If you’re stuck in a constant battle against depression, anxiety, trauma, or addiction, you might feel that you’ve tried everything. But have you tried equine therapy?
Horse-based therapies help with emotional regulation, trust, and openness. For many people, they provide what they were missing in similar treatment programs.
Call Ingrained Recovery to learn more about our equine-based programs today. We can answer your questions, verify insurance over the phone, or set up an intake appointment.