Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Recovery Docs Mount Equine Campaign

Physical therapists say riding works muscles, triggers psychological benefits

By Colleen Barry, Newser Staff

Posted Jul 18, 2007 8:11 AM CDT

(Newser) – Physical therapists are increasingly turning to horses to help patients with serious injuries, cerebral palsy, muscle disorders and developmental delays. The complex act of maintaining balance on a moving horse bolsters damaged or underdeveloped muscle groups and can have psychological benefits. Horses' movements mimic a human gait, making the method more effective than some more traditional ones.

"The horse is custom-made to give rhythmical dynamic input" to muscles, said one therapists. Horses also add the advantage of height, mobility and power to people often confined to wheelchair. Children can also "sense another creature's energy and love," said one doctor.

Autistic Boy with Cerebral Palsy Undergoes Horse Therapy (Getty Images)

(KRT Photos)

Physical therapist Wagner Rocha Goncalves helps Camila Lima, 17, from a horse at the Flamengo Jockey Club after finishing her therapy session. Camila was left paralyzed after she was shot. (KRT Photos)

Instructor Iris Melton, right, and assistant Morgan Havard work with three-year-old Cody McCasland as he rides a horse for physical therapy in Colleyville, Texas, on Tuesday, October 26, 2004. (KRT Photos)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

Horse Slaughterhouses Could Soon Rise Again

Congress lifts ban on funding horse meat inspections

(NEWSER) - When Congress passed a spending bill earlier this month to keep the government from shutting down, it quietly lifted a funding ban on horse meat inspections—meaning horses can once again be butchered in the US for human consumption, and slaughterhouses could open within 30 to 90 days. The US has no outright ban on horse slaughter, although two states do ban it and many others regulate the sale of horse meat, but funding for horse meat inspections was cut off in 2006. Congress did not allocate new money to pay for inspections, meaning the USDA would have to find the money within its own struggling budget. More»

Doctor Who? MDs Fend Off Rising PhDs

A doctorate does not a doctor make, say many MDs

(NEWSER) - As more and more nurses, pharmacists, and physical therapists are earning PhD degrees, a battle is raging over which health care professionals can use the prestigious title "doctor," reports the New York Times . Nurses especially are pursuing doctorates, eager to increase their pay and promotional opportunities—last year, 153 schools handed out 7,037 doctor of nursing practice degrees, compared to just four schools and 170 degrees in 2004—but PhDs are increasingly required in pharmacy and physical therapy, too. More»

Angry Bees Kill Horse

Fly repellent spray may have ticked them off

(NEWSER) - A horse was killed and his owner seriously hurt when swarms of angry bees attacked them in southern California yesterday. The man asked someone to check on his horse as he was being treated in a Riverside emergency room for numerous bee stings. Animal service workers were dispatched to the scene, and found the horse, felled by bee stings. Officers believe the owner may have triggered the attack by two nearby swarms when he sprayed his horse with fly repellent, reports the Los Angeles Times . "I'm imagining" the owner "was pretty lucky to get out of there alive," said one of the animal service officers on the scene. Exterminators were addressing the bee problem. More»

Deadly Horse Virus Spreads Quickly in West

Seven animals euthanized; competitions canceled

(NEWSER) - A mutant strain of a common horse virus has resulted in the deaths of seven animals and appears to be spreading quickly in Western states, the Wall Street Journal reports. The USDA reports suspected or confirmed cases of Equine Herpes Virus-1 at 42 stables or farms across 18 states. (The Journal says cases have been confirmed in nine of those states.) The outbreak appears to have started at a national riding competition in Utah earlier this month, and now similar competitions, rodeos, and fairground expos are being canceled. More»

Kentucky Derby: Root for the Horse With No Balls

Comma To The Top is the people's champion

(NEWSER) - Looking for a rooting interest at Sunday’s Kentucky Derby? Well, you should be cheering for Comma To The Top, argues Edward McClelland of Slate , for one simple reason: "He can’t produce sperm." Which means he’ll be able to race for another three years. “If early favorite Dialed In wins, he’ll retire at the end of the summer, and follow in the hoofprints of 2010 winner Super Saver, who is currently servicing mares for $20,000 a spasm.” More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

Recovery Docs Mount Equine Campaign

Physical therapists say riding works muscles, triggers psychological benefits

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

horse • physical therapy

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Horse Slaughterhouses Could Soon Rise Again

Congress lifts ban on funding horse meat inspections

Doctor Who? MDs Fend Off Rising PhDs

A doctorate does not a doctor make, say many MDs

Angry Bees Kill Horse

Fly repellent spray may have ticked them off

Deadly Horse Virus Spreads Quickly in West

Seven animals euthanized; competitions canceled

Kentucky Derby: Root for the Horse With No Balls

Comma To The Top is the people's champion

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

Recovery Docs Mount Equine Campaign

Physical therapists say riding works muscles, triggers psychological benefits

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

horse • physical therapy

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Horse Slaughterhouses Could Soon Rise Again

Congress lifts ban on funding horse meat inspections

Doctor Who? MDs Fend Off Rising PhDs

A doctorate does not a doctor make, say many MDs

Angry Bees Kill Horse

Fly repellent spray may have ticked them off

Deadly Horse Virus Spreads Quickly in West

Seven animals euthanized; competitions canceled

Kentucky Derby: Root for the Horse With No Balls

Comma To The Top is the people's champion

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?