Intended Audience:
This course is intended for Occupational Therapists, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, Physical Therapists, Physical Therapy Assistants and Speech Language Pathology Professionals who are incorporating hippotherapy/equine movement into their practice.

Session Level: Intermediate

Course Description:
The AHA, Inc intends that this updated Framework reflects current thinking in our fields, and with practical implementation, becomes a useful clinical reasoning guide in practice, or a theoretical foundation for research questions. Whether hearing about the HCF for the first time or getting a fresh perspective on previously learned concepts, the AHA, Inc’s HCF provides the guiding structure for the American model of hippotherapy as a tool in treatment.  

Presentation Speakers:

• Joann Benjamin, PT, HPCS

• Ruth Dismuke-Blakely, MS, CCC/SLP, HPCS

Learning Outcomes: 

• Recount the advent of the AHA, Inc Hippotherapy Conceptual Framework and the existence of the updated version for application in current practice.

• Briefly describe 3 of the 9 tenets that lead to effective change during treatment incorporating equine movement.

• Access 2 references directly related to hippotherapy and 2 related to the broader reach of their own therapy discipline that reflect tenets in the Hippotherapy Conceptual Framework.

• Describe the bridge between the theoretical model of treatment and its potential application in a treatment scenario.