Why children with special needs feel better with hippotherapy sessions: a conceptual review

Hippotherapy literally means "therapy with the help of a horse" and is derived from the Greek word hippos, meaning "horse." Hippocrates was the first to describe the benefits of hippotherapy for rehabilitation purposes. Although this therapy has many years of history, few scholars have defined the theoretical bases of hippotherapy and less about how psychologic, physical, social, and educational benefits can be achieved through hippotherapy in children with special needs.

This article is designed from a chronological perspective to provide mental health professionals, educators, and others with current information on how horses can be used as a main tool in an effective and holistic therapy for children with special needs. This is supported by current literature review through a conceptual framework of hippotherapy explained by dynamic system theory along with the theory of neuronal group selection and sensory integration theory.

Hippotherapy, by affecting multiple systems such as the sensory, muscular, skeletal, limbic, vestibular, and ocular systems simultaneously, leads to psychologic, social, and educational benefits that will be evidenced in behavioral patterns used in other environments.