Hippotherapy?

[anslpaday]

Hi all!

 

Before I was introduced to the field of SLP, I was into horses (horseback riding instructor for 4 years through college, riding since I can remember). I have recently been looking at merging the two fields by volunteering at a therapeutic riding center with a speech pathologist - and I love it.

 

Which brings me to my question - have you heard of any grad schools that have classes about or professors who do research in the field? It would be awesome to keep learning about this niche of SLP. 

 

Thank you!

[twinguy7]

One of my professors is one of four people certified to do it!  Let me copy and paste her bio from our school website:

 

 Dr. Macauley is one of four speech-language pathologists in the US with board certification in hippotherapy (HPOT), using the movement of the horse as a treatment strategy, and is an international leader and speaker in the applications of AAT & HPOT within speech-language pathology.

 

 

I know she allows us students to observe with her if we'd like and I know a couple in my cohort who have been with her to therapy.  The school is Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  

[S_Colorado]

I'm also interested in the use of equine movement as a treatment tool. I mentioned it in my application essays so universities knew that was one of the things I'm interested in researching in graduate school. I don't know of any schools that specifically have course in it but I've taken the level one workshop through AHA and they are great workshops but also really recommend hands on training. I'd look for SLPs in the areas around where you are looking at schools and you can always contact them and see where they went to school and if they have any opinions about the local universities. 

[spursnpearls]

I think that you can't really take courses in college to get licensed/certified.. all the info is on the AHA website under education. You attend their own workshops etc. But that's awesome you're looking for somewhere that they can give you hands on info -- I totally get that! I actually just discovered earlier today (funny) that someone I know volunteers at a therapeutic riding center that has only one of the AHA SLP's in CA! Definitely going to see if I can check it out