About EAA/T
- Jaithra Kakarla
- Mar 1, 2020
- 3 min read
The notion of horses being able to help humans heal and grow has been gaining more and more recognition in recent years. Throughout the world, hundreds of thousands of individuals with and without special needs experience the rewarding benefits of equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT). A physical, cognitive, or emotional special need does not limit a person from interacting with horses. In fact, such interactions can prove highly rewarding. For instance, experiencing the rhythmic motion of a horse can be very beneficial. Riding a horse moves the rider's body in a manner similar to a human gait, so riders with physical needs often show improvement in flexibility, balance, and muscle strength.
The world of equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) is saturated with activities and horse-human interactions based almost exclusively on the historical use of horses for work and equitation. The same routines of haltering, grooming, riding, leading, and lungeing that have been used for years in equitation has been adapted by the EAAT world to serve new purposes, and professionals in EAAT consider the horse a partner. You may have noticed that there are an awful lot of terms being tossed around out there to describe various forms of equine-assisted activities and therapies. But what do they all mean?
Equine-Assisted Therapy (EAT): A broad term referring to services provided by a licensed health professional that incorporates horses into the therapy process. Rehabilitative goals are related to the patient’s needs and the medical professional’s standards of practice. Examples of EAT include equine assisted counseling/psychotherapy and hippotherapy.
Equine-Assisted Activity (EAA): Refers to services provided by a non-licensed professional that utilizes the inherent therapeutic benefits of being around horses to enhance non-clinical activities. Examples of Equine-assisted activities include therapeutic riding, mounted or ground activities, grooming and stable management, shows, parades, demonstrations, etc., in which the center’s clients, participants, volunteers, instructors, and equines are involved. Equine-assisted learning is also considered to be an EAA.
Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFPT): Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy is a clinical service that incorporates horses into mental health therapy and is provided by a qualified/licensed mental health professional. The goal of EFP is not to teach riding or horsemanship but rather to address specific mental health goals through interaction with horses.
Equine-assisted learning (EAL): Equine-assisted learning (EAL) is an experiential learning approach that promotes the development of life skills for educational, professional, and personal goals through equine-assisted activities.
Hippotherapy: This term is often incorrectly used to describe all forms of equine-assisted activities and therapies, but actually refers only to the use of horseback riding/equine movement in physical, occupational, or speech therapy. It is provided by a licensed physical, occupational, or speech therapist. The goal of hippotherapy is to use the horse's movement to promote functional improvements in sensory, neuromotor, and cognitive functioning. This treatment strategy is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional goals.
Therapeutic riding: Carriage Driving offers individuals with physical, mental, sensory, or emotional disabilities the rewards of interaction and control of a horse or pony while driving from a carriage seat or in their own wheelchair in a carriage modified to accommodate their wheelchair. It is a non-clinical, recreational service with inherent therapeutic benefits. Many people have seen in videos of THR on the internet but often mistake it for hippotherapy, its clinical cousin. Unlike hippotherapy, THR is not facilitated by a licensed professional. Rather, it is taught by instructors that have been specially trained and certified to adapt riding lessons for people with disabilities. Its goal is to teach people how to ride a horse with considerations made for their disability.
Interactive vaulting: Interactive Vaulting is an activity in which the students perform movements on and around the horse. These movements can be very simple such as sitting without holding onto the surcingle or a more elaborate vaulting position move such as kneeling or standing on the horse. It all depends on the individual needs of the vaulter.
Therapeutic driving: Carriage Driving offers individuals with physical, mental, sensory, or emotional disabilities the rewards of interaction and control of a horse or pony while driving from a carriage seat or in their own wheelchair in a carriage modified to accommodate their wheelchair.
I hope that this has clarified some of the confusing aspects of this growing industry. Still, confused? Ask your questions in the comments below or send me a message through the Contact form on the “Home” page.
To better understand which of these activities fall under the hood of Equine-assisted Activities (EAA) and Equine-assisted Therapy (EAT) check out this guiding article https://www.equineinsight.info/post/equine-assisted-activities-and-therapies-eaat.
References:
Scopa, Chiara, et al. “Emotional Transfer in Human–Horse Interaction: New Perspectives on Equine Assisted Interventions.” Animals, vol. 9, no. 12, 2019, p. 1030., doi:10.3390/ani9121030.
Donato, Al. “EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HORSE THERAPY.” CBC, 14 July 2019, https://www.cbc.ca/firsthand/features/everything-you-need-to-know- about-horse-therapy.
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