Equine Assisted Therapy?

H

heffalump

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Jul 6, 2009
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Hey all

Just wondered if anyone has any knowledge of equine assisted therapy? I'm a hospital doctor and am coming up to the stage where I start to consider specialising, and have to apply for my speciality jobs in about 6 months time. I had considered a career in anaesthetics but the more I look into equine assisted therapy, it looks fascinating!

I believe if I went down the psychiatry route this might be something I could do but the information on how to get the relevant qualifications seems quite thin on the ground.

So I was wondering if anyone out there in NR-land is involved in equine assisted therapy, or knows of anyone who is, or has any experience of it?

Thanks in advance!:D:D
 
I have helped wth it at my old local RDA. It might not be much use as I have been going down the physio route but have a look at hippotherapy also and if you look on the chartered physio website, there is a suborganisation you can join which does therapeutic riding (cant remember the name off top of head).

Best place if you want experience is either your local RDA school (always willing for volunteers) or we have a local donkey sanctuary which also uses donkeys for therapy on similar/same principles.
 
There has been more workm in America than here but a rehoming racehorses place does assisted therapy with kids at risk.
The Monty Roberts join up idea has been used in prisons and with (American term here) Dysfunctional children. The research is rather poor with very few trials which stand up to review. Lots of "it felt great they all loved it" but very little hard facts on recovery processes re mental health.
For the Hippotherapy there is lots more research but this has moved down the line of artificial horses as the movement in walk ahs been shown to assist paraplegic and limb damage to support learning to walk again.
As a doctor I expect any RDA centre would be very pleased to have you involved same for the rehab kids and racehorse programme. Do you have time to do some work experinace in these areas before you specialise.
Of course if you really want to join horses and medicine the simple answer is orthopedics. These guys seam to spend half their time putting riders back together :)
 
Priory Hospitals Group does a form of this , mainly aimed I think at people with anxiety disorders or addictions. Tis only availiable in one of their North London Hopsitals though or I might have given it a try myself.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...nxious-the-angry-and-the-addicted-512164.html

Or there is someone local to me (Hants) who does Equine assited learning which has some similar elements.

http://www.equineguidededucation.co.uk/

PS Am loving the name heffalump - sounds as though we might be related???!!!
 
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equine Therapy

i worked at a centre for people with special needs and we did equine facilitated learning and equine assisted therapy although they don't seem to do as much these days except for kids. One place to contact would be the Fortune centre they have a web site and also if you google EAGALA they can help you. good luck - it is a very satisfying and worthwhile route to go down.
 
Do you mean the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy at Avon Tyrell? That is down here in the New Forest too. Have visited many years ago when I was a student nurse.
It's a great centre. Aimed at young people with mild learning disabilities. Teaches all normal riding and stable work to pretty decent level.

Someone else on here has been to Hampshire Centre for Riding Therapy at Eastleigh, think maybe Loulou1972?
 
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