Hippotherapy Treatment Principles – Part I 

 Upcoming Part I A & B Webinar Courses 

 Hippotherapy Treatment Principles Part I 

This course has been approved for continuing education credits by the American Occupational Therapy Association, Inc. and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. 

Intended Audience:

This course is designed as an entry-level course for therapists (PT, PTA, OT, COTA, SLP, and SLPA) to learn how to utilize hippotherapy as a treatment tool/strategy. Hands-on practicums with horses are included.  Recorded attendance and completion of the course evaluation form is required prior to receipt of the course certificate of completion.

Prerequisite:

Successful completion of the Equine Skills Test and Online Learning Module. You will automatically receive access to the prerequisites once you have purchased the Part I course. 

Course Overview: 

This course is an overview of the principles of hippotherapy,  designed for therapists  (PT,  OT, SLP, PTA, COTA, SLPA) interested in utilizing hippotherapy in their practice. The course is equivalent to 4 days of instruction – the first day of the course consists of an online study component of approximately 4 1/2 hours of study to be completed prior to the first day of the three days of in-person instruction. The online study consists of foundational information required for an understanding of the principles of hippotherapy. 

Part I Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

Occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech-language pathologists taking this course will gain an understanding of the principles, history, theory, and research of the application of hippotherapy (skilled equine movement) as a treatment strategy/tool within a plan of care (POC) in OT, PT and SLP practice. Therapists will observe and analyze a therapy treatment with skilled equine movement and discuss the adaptive responses in the patient. Therapists will be introduced to skilled equine movement and the effect of the horse’s conformation and movement on the systems of the human body for implementation in a POC for a variety of diagnoses and patients. The following learning outcomes will be assessed during participation in active learning activities, learner demonstration of skills during practicums, class discussions, and small group work.

Learning Outcomes for Hippotherapy Treatment Principles – Part I:

• Therapists will be able to define the term hippotherapy (skilled equine movement) and identify at least 3 primary principles of hippotherapy
  
  

• Therapists will be able to list and describe at least 5 key considerations in patient evaluation for determining if hippotherapy (skilled equine movement) should be included in a patient’s plan of care

• Therapists will be able to list and describe at least 6 precautions/ contraindications that should be considered when deciding on the inclusion of hippotherapy (skilled equine movement) into a patient’s plan of care and describe appropriate safety procedures during intervention

• Therapists will be able to list and describe the 5 primary parameters with respect to matching patient impairment, size, and functional limitation and horse size, gait, and temperament for optimal and safe incorporation of hippotherapy (skilled equine movement) into a plan of care to maximize functional outcomes

• Therapists will be able to describe the effect of hippotherapy (skilled equine movement) on at least 3 different patient diagnoses as related to their systems impairment, participation restriction, and functional outcomes through participation in a treatment planning practicum

• Therapists will demonstrate correct documentation in writing treatment and progress notes related to the current use of equine movement in OT, PT and SLP practice

• Therapists will be able to list 3 examples of how the therapist using skilled equine movement incorporates the AHA Best Practice Guidelines into practice.

• Therapists will be able to cite 3 current research articles applicable to hippotherapy (skilled equine movement)
  Identify the professional relationships between AHA, Inc. and its educational offerings, PATH Intl., and the AHCB by giving 3 examples of how these relationships impact Best Practice when incorporating hippotherapy as a treatment tool into a therapy plan of care
  
  

Course Schedule:

Tentative In-Person Training Schedule

 Day 1

 7:30 am   Registration & Introductions – Discuss therapy and equine background

 8:15 am   Review Objectives (need for continuing education credits), Hippotherapy     

                  Rationale and the AHA, Inc. description, Horse Gaits, Desirable Qualities of 

                  Equine Motion, Aspects of the Horse’s walk that can be manipulated, Training 

                  and Maintenance, Horse Handling

 9:15 am   Conformation and Movement Analysis of 3 – 4 horses

10:15 am  BREAK

10:30 am  Human and Horse Movement Interaction Posture and Balance

12:30 pm  LUNCH

1:15 pm   Tour of Facility and Tack Room

1:30 pm   Horse Handling and Safety Demonstration

2:15 pm   Leading Demo and Practicum

3:15 pm   BREAK

3:30 pm   Mounted Practicum #1 opportunity to experience 3 dimensions of motion

4:30 pm   Review and Discussion

5:00 pm   Day Concludes

Day 2

 8:00 am   Faculty demonstration and Participant practicum – Motor Tasks and Impairment

10:00 am  BREAK

10:15 am  Theory of Dynamic Systems

11:00 am  Practice Transfers with horses – Practice Emergency procedures, Side walker 

                    training, working with Horse Handler

12:00 pm  LUNCH

12:45 pm  Mounted Practicum # 2

1:45 pm   Review of mounted practicum as a treatment session Horse Selection and 

                   Patient Selection; Unique Contributions of the Horse; Position Options and 

                   Alternative Positions

3:15 pm   BREAK

3:30 pm   Treatment Teams develop treatment plan for a paper patient (group work)

5:00 pm  Day Concludes

Day 3  

8:00 am    Treatment Plan Presentations – Group Discussions

9:15 am    Practicum – Position Options & Alternative Positions

10:45 am  BREAK

11:00 am  Review of ICF model

12:00 pm  LUNCH

12:45 pm  Patient Demonstrations

2:00 pm    Discuss Patient Demonstrations and their observations; Review AHA, Inc. and 

                   PATH Intl. Relationship; AHCB and credentialing; Review other AHA, Inc. 

                   Courses; Final Question and Answer discussion

3:00 pm    Day Concludes

Course Pricing:

In-Person Part I 

Early registration (closes three weeks prior start of course)

$875.00 for AHA, Inc. Member

$975.00 for Non-AHA, Inc. Member

General Registration

$950.00 for AHA, Inc. Member

$1,050 for Non-AHA, Inc. Member

Part I Webinar 

Part I Webinar (Fee includes both Part I A & Part I B webinars) 

$655.00 for AHA, Inc. Member

$755.00 for Non-AHA, Inc. Member

 Upcoming Part I A & B Webinar Courses 

*Registration is limited

* Certificates of attendance will be provided to attendees at the conclusion of the course.  Contact hours vary depending on the course.  No certification will be granted upon completion of an AHA, Inc. course.

AHA, Inc. is an AOTA Approved Provider of continuing education. Provider #: 11414. Full attendance at this course qualifies for 25.5 contact hours or 2.55 CEUs in the Category of Domain of OT, Occupational Therapy Process, and Professional Issues . The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA. Course Level: Introductory.

This program is offered for 2.55 ASHA CEUs (Introductory level, Professional area).

A Certificate of Attendance will be provided.  Contact hours are 25.5.  There are no continuing education credits for the Equine Skills pre-requisite.  Students will receive continuing education credits for the one day online module.

Cancellation  Policies:  AHA,  Inc. reserves the right to adjust course dates, times and faculty to accommodate unforeseen circuMDTances including cancellation of the course due to insufficient registration up to 3 weeks prior to the scheduled start date. Notification will only be made to advanced registrants. Neither AHA, Inc. nor the course location is responsible for any expenses incurred by registrants due to such adjustments.

Participant cancellation requests must be made in writing no less than 3 weeks prior to the course start date to receive a refund, minus a $100 administrative fee. No refunds will be given for cancellations received within three weeks prior to the start of the course.

*** Please do not make travel arrangements until you receive confirmation from the AHA, Inc. office

Faculty who are vetted to teach this course are:

• Meredith Bazaar, MS, CCC, SLP, HPCS
• Joann Benjamin, PT, HPCS
• Mary Helene Chaplin, PT, HPCS
• Ruth Dismuke-Blakely, MS, CCC, SLP, HPCS
• Karen Gardner , MOT, OTR, HPCS
• Lisa Harris, PT, HPCS
• Pippa Hodge, BSR, SCSP, MCPA, HPCS ( Canada )
• Carol Huegel, PT, HPCS
• Leslie Lautenschlager, OTR/L, HPCS
• Gina Taylor, MS, OT, HPCS

You may read their bios and disclaimers by clicking on the individual’s name.