We offer services at Rhythm of the Horse that can benefit individuals with a variety of diagnoses including Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Developmental Delay, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Autism and Learning or Language Disabilities. See below for details.
Conductive Education is a holistic approach to serving individuals with neurological motor disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinsons Disease. It combines medical knowledge with educational principles. Conductive Education does not focus on just one area of development but instead encompasses all areas of development, all of the time. Gross motor, fine motor, daily living skills, speech and communication, social skills, emotional regulation, motor planning and cognitive development are all intertwined into this innovative learning method. Functional goals that aim to maximize the individual’s independence are broken down into smaller steps and practiced in various situations during the session. The involvement of family is important to help transfer skills learned during sessions into family and community life.
Conductive Education sessions take place in the therapy room, on a horse, out on the farm or any combination of all 3.
Conductive Education in the therapy room
Conductive Education sessions that take place in the therapy room can be on an individual or small group basis. Working in a group provides support and motivation to those involved. Cognitive, social and communication skills are incorporated into activities carried out in lying, sitting, standing, walking and other developmental positions.
Conductive Education utilizing equine movement
Teaching riding skills is not the focus of a Conductive Education session incorporating equine movement. The same developmental skills targeted in the therapy room are promoted on the horse but now a unique model of 3-dimensional movement is introduced. The horse's walk transfers variable, repetitive and rhythmic movement to the client. The responses in the client are similar to human movement patterns of the pelvis while walking. During a treatment session a horse can take thousands of steps, allowing thousands of opportunities for a client to experience this dynamic movement that cannot be replicated by other apparatus or equipment. Our specially trained therapist aptly positions the individual on the horse, analyses the rider’s response to the equine movement and then adjusts the horse’s movement accordingly to provide a “just right challenge” for each individual. Changing the tempo and direction of the horse, the position of the rider on the horse and the use of carefully chosen activities can alter that challenge.
Conductive Education on the Farm
This is an opportunity for skills learned in other settings to be practiced outside in a sensory rich environment. Not only can the client interact with our horses, goats, chickens and cats but they can also learn how to take care of the animals, all whilst working on their own developmental skills.
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Sensory integration is a term used to describe processes in the brain that allow us to take in sensory information, organize it, and respond appropriately. Children with autism and sensory processing disorders can have difficulties with sensory integration that affect their behavior and life skills. As a result, some children may be hypersensitive or hyposensitive to stimuli in their surroundings. Sensory integration therapy is designed to help them cope with the challenges they have processing sensory input.
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Sensory Integration Therapy utilizing equine movement
In addition to the 5 senses of sight, sound, touch, taste and smell we also have the vestibular and proprioceptive sense. The vestibular sense (balance) tells us how to position our bodies and heads and our proprioceptive sense (awareness of body in space) helps us know what to do with our joints, muscles and ligaments. For the child with sensory processing disorders, equine movement
provides an abundance of all sensory input on a repetitive basis throughout the session. The therapist carefully introduces, increases and decreases this sensory input to challenge the child and help them learn how to achieve more efficient self-regulation.
Sensory Integration Therapy on the farm
Our farm-based curriculum promotes executive function, sensory integration, self-regulation, and motor skills in clients. The farm offers a variety of sensory experiences through interaction with the animals as well as the daily activities that take place running the farm. Sessions can take place inside or outside and in individual or small group settings.
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Our adaptive riding program teaches horseback riding skills to individuals with special needs who would like to learn how to ride a horse safely. Riding skills are taught whilst helping each student reach their physical, social, emotional and cognitive goals. Lessons are one hour long and are offered on an individual or small group basis.
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