Community Profile: Hope Therapy LIVING WELL

Hope Therapy is a non-profit equine therapy facility providing “healing with the help of the horse.” It is Hope Therapy’s mission to improve the quality of life of children and adults with various diagnoses using equine-assisted activities and therapy.

Hope Therapy serves individuals with special needs from ages 3 and beyond and veterans that have honorably served our country. Clients are taken on a case-by-case basis, ensuring that it will be a productive and positive experience for them. Some of the diagnoses they serve include Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Multiple Sclerosis, Spina Bifida, ADHD, behavior disorders, developmental delay, traumatic brain injury, stroke, Autism, cancer, PTSD, and learning disabilities.

Equine Assisted Activities and Therapy (EEAT)

Hippotherapy

The word hippotherapy is derived from the Greek word for horse, “hippos,” and literally means treatment with the help of the horse. It is an overall term used to describe the use of the horse in treatment to achieve functional outcomes. Hippotherapy has been used since the 1960s in Europe, particularly in West Germany and Switzerland. The potential for individuals to benefit and succeed in riding was first noted when a polio survivor won an Olympic dressage medal in the post-World War II games.

Hope Therapy’s licensed occupational therapists use the three-dimensional movement of the horse as an additional therapy tool to aid clients in reaching their therapy goals. The combination of traditional therapy methods with the movement of the horse can result in improvement in motor coordination, muscle tone, postural alignment, stiffness/ flexibility, gross and fine motor skills, and strength. Improvement can also be made in respiratory control, cognitive and sensory processing, and speech/language control. Horses bring so much to a session, including love and encouragement, which is why clients often ride with big smiles, have an increase in self-confidence, and develop a special bond with their horses. Call for session pricing.

Additional Services and Projects

• Therapeutic Riding: This program focuses on providing those with various diagnoses the opportunity to learn horseback riding and horsemanship skills, such as grooming, tacking, anatomy, and how to care for horses. Aside from learning these skills, those who participate in therapeutic riding can also experience an increase in balance, strength, confidence, and social skills. The therapeutic riding instructors are certified through the Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.).

• Horses Helping Veterans: A program designed to help meet the needs of service members, whether those needs are physical, emotional, or PTSD-related. Individuals have the option to participate in activities with the horse on the ground, ride, or do both. This program serves veterans as well as active-duty individuals.

Volunteer

As a working horse farm, Hope Therapy could not function without the service of volunteers. It’s only because of them that Hope Therapy has been successful for over 20 years.

Volunteers help get horses ready for sessions by grooming and tacking them. During sessions, volunteers lead the horses and are side walkers for clients. A side walker walks alongside the clients as they ride and provides support. More independent clients may need someone to just walk alongside them. Clients that need more support may require a side walker to have their hand on their knee or provide back support. Volunteers often become a great source of encouragement for clients as well! After sessions, volunteers help cool down horses and put away tack. If you do not have horse experience, Hope Therapy can teach you about grooming, tacking, and leading.

Volunteering with Hope Therapy goes beyond assisting with client sessions. As a farm with nine working horses, there is a great deal of work that happens behind the scenes, like gardening, facility repairs, etc. Volunteering is also available for groups, such as schools, scout troops, and church groups. Volunteers must be at least 13 years old.

Sessions take place on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Hours by appointment only. Times vary throughout the year based on the weather.

To learn more, visit hopetherapy.org, call 904-291-6784, or email hopetherapy@ bellsouth.net. j hopetherapy.org