EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY IS TREATMENT THAT INCORPORATES EQUINE ACTIVITIES AND THE EQUINE ENVIRONMENT TO REACH REHABILITATIVE GOALS SPECIFIC TO THE CLIENT’S NEEDS AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL’S STANDARDS OF PRACTICE (PATH INT, 2021).
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IS A HEALTHCARE PROFESSION THAT HELPS PEOPLE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN TO DO THE THINGS THEY WANT AND NEED TO DO THROUGH THE THERAPEUTIC USE OF DAILY ACTIVITIES OR OCCUPATIONS (AOTA, 2021).
OCCUPATIONAL IMPACT FOUND IN THE LITERATURE
VETERAN PARTICIPANTS REPORTED THE FOLLOWING IMPROVEMENTS AFTER PARTICIPATION IN EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY
- LEARN COPING SKILLS
- CONTROLLING EMOTIONS
- DECREASE PTSD SYMPTOMS
- DECREASE STRESS & ANXIETY
- FEEL EMPOWERED
- IMPROVE MOOD
- FEEL A SENSE OF PURPOSE
- ENHANCE QUALITY OF LIFE
- IMPROVE SELF-ESTEEM
- IMPROVE OVERALL WELL-BEING
- EXPERIENCE TEAMWORK
- SOCIAL PARTICIPATION
- DECREASED ISOLATION
- IMPROVE OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE
- ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING
- WORK PARTICIPATION
- SLEEP
- LEISURE PARTICIPATION
- COMMUNICATION SKILLS
ROLES OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS CAN PLAY
- AS AN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
- PROVIDE MOTOR-BASED TREATMENT
- OFFER SENSORY-BASED TREATMENT
- PROVIDE COGNITIVE-BASED TREATMENT
- OCCUPATION-SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS
- TREATMENTS ARE SPECIFIC TO VETERAN NEEDS
- AS AN ADVOCATE
- TO LEGISLATION
- FUNDRAISING
- GRANT WRITING
- BILLING PROCEDURES
- CONTINUED RESEARCH
- AS A CONSULTANT
- STAFF EDUCATION
- PROGRAM ASSESSMENT
- HORSE-RIDER MATCHING ADVICE
- ACTIVITY ADAPTATION SUGGESTIONS
- AS A HORSE TRAINER
- TRAIN HORSES FOR TREATMENT
- ENSURE HORSES ARE SAFE FOR TREATMENT
BARRIERS TO PRACTICE
- FUNDING
- MOST VETERAN PROGRAMS OPERATE AS NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND FUNDING RELIES ON GRANTS AND FUNDRAISING. THIS MEANS THERE IS LIMITED RESOURCES TO PAY FOR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES
- REIMBURSEMENT
- VETERAN PROGRAMS ARE OFTEN FREE. EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY IS NOT CONSIDERED MEDICAL TREATMENT AT THIS TIME AND IS NOT REIMBURSABLE
- CONFLICT BETWEEN EQUINE ORGANIZATIONS
- THE AMERICAN HIPPOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION AND PATH INTERNATIONALS MISSION AND VISION DO NOT ALIGN WITH ONE ANOTHER CAUSING A DIVISION IN THE EQUINE WORLD.
WHAT IS NEEDED IN THE FUTURE?
-ADVOCATING TO THE AMERICAN HIPPOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION (AHA) TO ESTABLISH AHA-SUPPORTED VETERAN PROGRAMMING.
-FURTHER RESEARCH ON THE IMPACT OF OCCUPATIONS IN AN EQUINE ENVIRONMENT.
-PROVIDING EXPOSURE IN ACADEMIC CURRICULUMS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF EQUINE UTILIZATION.
-ADVOCATING TO INSURANCE COMPANIES SO SERVICES UTILIZING EQUINES CAN BECOME REIMBURSABLE.
Created by Collin Cooper, OTDS in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of DOCTOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY at The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences, April, 2021
REFERENCES
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2021). What is occupational therapy? https://www.aota.org/Conference-Events/OTMonth/what-is-OT.aspx
Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International [PATH Int]. (2021). Learn about EAAT. https://www.pathintl.org/resources-education/resources/eaat/60-resources/efpl/201-equine-facilitated-psychotherapy
Credits:
Created with images by SoapWitch - "horses galloping running" • ASchuehlein - "horse stallion animal" • Danielhadmanphotography - "veterans day anzac day anzac" • Victor000 - "horse barn animal" • LunarSeaArt - "horse hands bridle" • selenee51 - "horse horseback riding black-and-white" • Tanuj_handa - "horse neigh animal"