The term “hippotherapy” means treatment with the aid of a horse, in which a therapist uses the characteristic movements of the horse to provide specific motor and sensory input. Hippotherapy has been used to treat patients with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, head injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, behavioral disorders and psychiatric disorders.

Carefully modulated, rhythmic, balanced equine movement offers an effective means of addressing speech and language deficits through stimulating the body’s systems that support speech and language function. Sensory integration from hippotherapy addresses the inner ear’s sense of balance, motion stimulation, and touch sensations, as well as the visual, scent, and auditory systems.