Therapeutic riding offers some 5,500 mostly older horses a second career - and a second chance. For the right horses, in the right hands, it's a pretty good living.
Standing at the mounting block waiting for his rider, Doc fidgets. It's the tenth week of a 12-week semester, and the big horse is beginning to display behavior that, while permissible when he's with his herd, is completely unacceptable in the riding arena. Tossing his head, he lips at his handler, tries to rub his head against her arm, and stamps his feet. Meanwhile Kea, a blind Appaloosa, placidly moves through the obstacle course, trusting his leader not to steer him wrong. He seems unfazed by the autistic child on his back, even though she periodically vents an ear-piercing scream that would have most horses dancing sideways. What makes one horse act out in a stressful situation, while another displays a Zen-like attitude? How high are the tension and anxiety in so-called therapeutic riding programs? Children, teens and adults with disabilities clearly benefit from the various activities and therapies that fall under this umbrella term...but what's in it for the horse?
The Horse-and-Human Bond
Historically, human beings have had a deep and abiding relationship with the horse, not just as a partner in our labors, but as an inspiration in art, mythology, music and poetry. In fact, our use of the horse as a work animal may be the most obvious yet least interesting aspect of the profound and lasting bond that we have shared with this fascinating animal.
The therapeutic value of riding was documented as early as 600 B.C. by Orbasis of ancient Lydia. It wasn't until 1875, however, that the first systematic study of therapeutic riding was reported. After prescribing pony riding as a treatment for a variety of conditions, French physician Chassaign concluded that riding was helpful in the treatment of certain types of neurological paralysis. He noted improvement in posture, balance and joint movement, and a striking increase in morale.
In 1946, following two outbreaks of poliomyelitis, riding therapy was introduced in Scandinavia. This movement was spearheaded by Liz Hartel, an accomplished horsewoman who was stricken with the crippling disease. After surgery and physical therapy allowed her to walk with crutches, Hartel was determined to ride independently again. Daily supervised riding sessions brought back her muscle strength and coordination. In 1952, she won the Olympic silver medal for dressage.
Presently, more than 600 therapeutic riding programs are member centers of the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA), headquartered in Denver. Founded in 1969, NARHA establishes professional guidelines, safety standards, insurance provisions, and instructor and therapist training and certification for the growing field of equine-assisted activities (EAA) and -therapies (EAT).
For individuals with physical, cognitive or psychological disabilities, therapeutic riding can prove beneficial in several ways. They may experience increased strength and balance, improved body awareness, and enhanced self-esteem. The positive relationship that develops between a rider and her peers, horse, and therapeutic team presents opportunities for the development of trust and social growth.
The field of equine-assisted activities encompasses a range of equestrian programs.
- Hippotherapy - a medical intervention whereby a licensed physical or occupational therapist uses the motion of the horse to conduct targeted therapy.
- Therapeutic Riding - a specially trained therapeutic riding instructor teaches riding skills to a person with disabilities. While legally not a therapy, this activity can have profound and multiple benefits.
- Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP - experiential psychotherapy with horses. EFP is facilitated by
a licensed, credentialed mental health professional working with an appropriately credentialed equine professional. This often involves horse training, grooming, and other groundwork (nonriding client/horse interaction). - Other equestrian activities offered for individuals with disabilities include driving, vaulting (gymnastics on horseback), and local, regional and even international competition opportunities such as the Paralympics.
The Source of the Horse
No matter the venue or the intent of the activity, the horse is at the center of it all. There are an estimated 5,500 horses active in therapeutic riding programs in the United States alone. These animals come to therapeutic riding from many different sources and with a wide range of backgrounds. Some have minor but debilitating physical ailments, i.e., lameness or allergies, that make them incapable of racing, jumping, dressage, driving, police work, etc. "Few people can afford to keep a horse who can no longer be used for his main purpose," says Stephanie LaFarge, Ph.D., senior director of ASPCA Counseling Services and a NAHRA-certified riding instructor. "But the alternatives are costly euthanasia, or worse: slaughter for the income to be realized from the horse's meat and bones. So horse-lovers desperately want to find a quiet, post-retirement occupation for their mounts." Other owners are unscrupulous individuals looking to unload an aging and/or what they see as "useless" animal on someone else. Either way, many of these owners turn to therapeutic riding programs as the answer.
"We look at about twenty horses for every one we accept into the program," says Kristin Elliott Leas, barn manager at High Hopes Therapeutic Riding in Old Lyme, Connecticut, and a NARHA advanced instructor. "Our first responsibility is for the safety of our riders, horses, volunteers and staff. And for that, we have to be very particular when choosing what sort of horse comes into our program."
A varied set of criteria is used when considering mounts for therapeutic riding. "When a horse is offered to us, we do a telephone screening first," says Sally Eaton, program coordinator at the Pacific Riding for the Disabled Association in Langley, British Columbia. "We ask if he has any bad habits. Is he likely to be scared by children or someone with a disability? We ask whether he has the patience of Job." Says Leas: "We check on the horse's prior training, how she was handled, what sort of work she's done in the past, what work - if any - that she's doing currently, and whether or not she's sound." Horses who pass the initial interview and, sometimes, a home visit, come in for a trial period at the facility. There they are worked and observed by staff and volunteers. Is the horse calm when being groomed, tacked and mounted? Does he interact positively with other horses? Does he work well with a leader and a sidewalker, or does he prefer an independent rider? Is he responsive to commands and tolerant of mistakes, or does he willfully disobey?
As a rule, horses who don't pass the trial period are returned to their owners. If the horse was part of the therapeutic program and is being retired due to age, infirmity or behavior, he may be adopted by an outside party. The adoption procedure is very selective. "We want there to be a good match between owner and horse," says Leas, "so we do a thorough background check, invite the prospective adopter out to meet and ride the horse, watch them together, observe whether or not the person wanting to adopt is horse knowledgeable, check references, and get details on where the horse will be living and how he'll be maintained. If the adoption goes through, then we check up on the animal periodically. We want this to be a match that will last a lifetime. If it doesn't work out, we'll take the horse back and try again." In general, therapeutic riding facilities do not have inappropriate horses euthanized, nor are they sold for slaughter.
Obviously, it is in the best interests of the facility to choose horses with care and maintain them in an excellent manner. While NARHA has criteria for this, none of it is mandatory and much is open to interpretation.
Not Exactly Easy Street
As for the horses who pass the test and enter a therapeutic program? Depending upon the facility, these animals may have to contend with one or more of the following stressors:
- Having to override natural instinct or training in order to compensate for differences in every rider.
- Riders who make loud or unexpected noises.
- Uneven and sudden rider weight distribution from individuals with significant physical disabilities. This can cause a horse to feel off-balance and, over time, may injure its back.
- Receiving mixed signals from rider and leader. A leader may request a halt by pulling back gently on the lead, but the rider (perhaps with uncontrolled muscle spasms) is pressing with his legs, indicating a wish to walk on.
- Coping with different handling styles from a variety of volunteers, rather than the familiar consistency of one-on-one horse ownership.
- Isolation, extended stall time, and limited turnout due to lack of space.
- Poor herd dynamics, with one horse constantly being harassed by the others.
- Lack of stimulation. Consistently being ridden by inexperienced riders can create boredom and lead to the development of bad habits.
"When looking at stress in therapeutic riding horses, we need to recognize that some of the same stressors they deal with are inherent in any equestrian setting," cautions Michael Kaufmann, director of education for NARHA and a former faculty member of the American Humane Association Horse Abuse Investigator School. "Being isolated in a stall for long periods of time is an unfortunate reality for many horses boarded at some of the finest recreational stables in the country." Much of this stress, Kaufmann adds, is not so much due to intentional neglect or abuse, but rather is caused by the practical management methods for equines that humans have developed and adopted over time.
Unfortunately, the law does not help much in defining what treatment of horses is detrimental to them psychologically, and does not even recognize the impact of stress. Indeed, many experts still dispute whether animals can feel significant stress at all. Put a rodeo stock contractor, a New York City carriage horse driver, and an Olympic rider in the same room with a staff member of an equine rescue group and they will have one lively argument over how each perceives and defines stress in horses. The equine disciplines represented by each are perfectly legal, and each has the potential for significant stress in the animals.
Most trained animal cruelty investigators shy away from making broad statements, preferring to look at individual animals and what symptoms they present. Unfortunately, these investigators' hands are often tied, as state anti-cruelty laws limit the protection of horses (and most animals) to the most basic provisions of food, water and shelter. The laws do little to define what type of housing, training and handling methods are in accordance with the actual behavioral needs of horses. The word "humane," while bantered about frequently in court cases, is often hard to define when applied to the treatment of equines. For example, there are many bits, whips and electronic training devices available at tack stores around the country that, while legal, would not be deemed humane by many horse experts.
Many riding centers monitor the therapeutic relationship so that the horse benefits as much as the client. At Green Chimneys, a long-established residential school for at-risk youth in Brewster, New York, the staff prevents stress by giving horses turnout time in pasture and trail-riding to make a cognitive shift from the ring. Psychologist Dr. Susan Brooks says, "We also pay close attention to nutrition. And if possible, we don't use bridles - only reins and halters. There's no yanking on the bit." In Boerne, Texas, psychotherapist Dr. Leslie Moreau works her horses only four days a week. How well the horse and client are working together is under constant evaluation.