Hippotherapy
Hippotherapy sounds like something to do with hippos. Well it is, but not the large amphibious creatures we commonly call hippos. It refers to the Ancient Greek word hippo, which means horse, thus hippotherapy is therapy with horses.
The reason we call the large amphibious creatures hippos is thanks to the Ancient Greeks who saw them swimming in a potamos (“river” in Ancient Greek) and called them hippopotamuses, or river horses. So that is why hippos are hippopotamuses and hippotherapy is with horses.
Now, if you are an avid animal lover like me, you might be a little disappointed there is no hippopotamus-therapy. But like me, you might also be excited to learn why horses fill a unique niche in animal therapy that other animals do not.
Horses are not only highly intelligent, sociable, available to everyday people and able to carry the weight of a person, but they are also extremely sensitive. They are able to sense and mirror the emotions of their riders, and adapt their usual horse-to-horse forms of communication for humans. This can involve something as simple as not biting humans, which might not sound like a big deal until you realise that biting is a rudimentary way for horses to communicate with other horses.
It may also seem more remarkable when you consider there are many other animals who are just as intelligent and capable of establishing relationships with humans, but who never shaped human history or gained our trust like horses have. Some might say it is the difference between wild and domesticated animals, but this means little when you realise that horses were originally wild, and tame horses have enough wild instincts to survive predation and exist without the interference of man when they go feral.
And it is why wild animals like hippos, who cause more human deaths than any other African species, can become loyal companions to humans, yet still haven’t been domesticated. Billy the hippo, for instance, was hand-raised by Sheila Siddle at the Zambian Chimfunshi Wildlife Orphanage. Billy passed away within months of my visit to the sanctuary, but I found out that rather than being a threat to Sheila, she was loyal, patient and kind. She even allowed the orphaned chimpanzees to ride on her back when they went bushwalking. But being a hippo she was still large, immensely strong and wilful. Perhaps with the right direction she might have been a prime candidate for therapy, but unlike horses, hippos like Billy haven’t spent thousands of years evolving next to humans, so we don’t completely understand one another.
Horses have had thousands of years to adapt to humans
Horses were first domesticated for milk and meat between 6000 and 5500 BC by the Botai culture in Kazakhstan. They then spread across Asia and Europe, and were first ridden and put under harness between about 3500 and 3000 BC in Kazakhstan. They advanced our history by giving us a means of transportation, agriculture, warfare and communication. While these means have now been superseded by technology, our relationship with the horse still holds a special place for many people — whether just for the pleasure of having a horse or for hippotherapy.
The relationship is the heart of hippotherapy. Each new rider and horse falls back on the centuries of conditioning and horsemanship to learn how to adapt and communicate with the other species, and establish trust. Some horse riders go as far as calling it a “co-being”, but it really comes down to the process of building any relationship. Research shows that incidences of horse-related accidents are reduced by long term positive relationships. Horses’s expectations of future interactions, just like humans’, are dependent on previous interactions. If we can communicate with a horse and give the horse positive interactions with humans, the horse will be more approachable and friendly. If the interactions have been negative, the horse will be more likely to be defensive or react negatively. The same can be said for a rider’s experiences with horses.
Through positive relationships hippotherapy can provide both psychological and physical benefits to riders, benefits that have been long recognised. Hippotherapy was first mentioned in ancient literature by the Greek Orbasis, in 600 BC, when it was used for people with incurable illnesses. In the 17th century, it was used to treat neurological disorders, gout and low morale, while one of the first times it was used in modern times was in Scandinavia, in 1946, during a poliomyelitis outbreak. Today in Australia it is used by volunteer groups such as Riding Develops Abilities, to help people with behavioural, neurological and developmental disorders.
The physical benefits come from the transmission of the horse’s warmth and three dimensional movement to the rider’s body. This slowly relaxes the rider’s muscles, reducing muscle spasms, and over time allows the rider to grow in strength, coordination and confidence. For those whose movements are restricted, the freedom of mobility can be liberating.
The psychological and social benefits cannot be understated. Many people find themselves isolated by their disabilities. Hippotherapy provides an opportunity to develop a relationship with a horse and the people around them with whom they share a love of horse riding. They have an opportunity to learn self discipline and emotional control, and communicate with the horse in their own way.
Not just any horse is suitable for hippotherapy. They must be patient, forgiving and kind, because hippotherapy is conducted at a slow pace and some riders are asymmetrical and unbalanced. For this reason geldings are mostly chosen for their even temperament. Mares can also be used, but stallions are not due to their hormone-driven nature.
Without our shared history we would not know how to select a suitable horse for hippotherapy. Nor would we know how to form essential relationships with them. While I would still be first to put my hand up to investigate therapy with hippos, horses are far more accessible, sensitive to the riders and able to respond appropriately. Besides, they are thousands of years ahead of the hippo when it comes to earning our trust.
