Svetlana Lytko, Chairman of the Board of the Equestrian Club, Expert at the National Federation of Hippotherapy and Adaptive Riding, at the press conference of the Federal Agency of News (FAN) and Patriot Media Group, devoted to the Center for Adaptive Riding and Rehabilitation of Disabled Children, shared the details of horse training for hippotherapy.
According to the expert, it is not so easy to find a suitable horse for medical sessions.
"A horse that can work with kids is quite special. Our country doesn't breed such horses yet. It's a very long process. Only a horse that has reached the age of six is allowed to work with small children", said the expert.
Svetlana Lytko pointed out the qualities that a candidate should have to work in this field.
"The horse must be healthy and mentally stable. It must be tolerant to child's pokes and prodes. A child could hit it, play games and throw objects while on its back. The kids on a horse's back are not always facing forward, they can ride backward, sideways, or even lying. At first, a horse interacts with instructors who play the part of a child. The training period is different for all animals. In the best case, it takes six months to prepare the horse to react properly to the things it will experience in the sessions", the expert explained.
In conclusion, she shared the details of the daily grind of properly trained "staff".
"This work is extremely hard for them. They become so tired that they can't work in such conditions. Their working hours are much shorter than those of specialists. The animals are allowed to work up to five hours, with a break. But most often, they only work for three hours", said the Chairman of the Board of the Equestrian Club.
Earlier, Svetlana Lytko said that hippotherapy could help children with autism feel better. This fact has allowed this type of therapy to finally build its credibility. According to the expert, until recently, many people considered it quackery.
Source: riafan.ru
Horse training for equine-assisted therapy takes at least six months
Last update: Friday, June 25, 2021 10:58:30 AM
