Absolute Beginner's Guide to Alternative Medicine

■ Increased language production: Use of commands with dog; simply convers-

ing to or about animal

■ Object identification: Direct dog to retrieve specific familiar items by appro-

priate name—ball, spoon, pen, or cup, for example

■ Attention/Concentration: Attending to dog, task, and therapist

Therapeutic horseback riding, available in at least 21 countries, is defined as reha-

bilitative use of horses. In equine-assisted psychotherapy, the riding is designed to

support the psychotherapeutic treatment plan. Goals include increased self-

confidence, improved self-esteem, refined social competence, the experience of pleas-

ure, and the ability to establish a relationship with the horse. Remedial educational

riding is used to further the educational and behavioral goals for school-age chil-

dren with learning problems. The horse is used as a strong motivator for accom-

plishing specific treatment goals. Hippotherapy is the use of the rhythmic movement

of the horse to increase sensory processing and improve posture, balance, and

mobility in people with movement dysfunctions. The term derives from the Greek

word “hippo” meaning horse. The transfer of movement from the horse to the client

is designed primarily to achieve physical goals but may also affect psychological,

cognitive, behavioral, and communication outcomes. Clients benefiting from hip-

potherapy include adults and children with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, ortho-

pedic problems, posttraumatic spasticity, strokes, scoliosis, genetic syndromes, and

developmental delays, among others.

Animal-Assisted Activities

A less formal approach, known as Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA), is motivational,

educational, and recreational. The goal is to provide “meeting and greeting”

human-animal interactions to enhance the quality of life, rather than a specific

treatment plan. AAA is used in many types of facilities with a wide variety of ani-

mals. AAA visits to sheltered homeless families have been effective. Most shelters do

not allow families to bring their pets, and seeing the visiting animal can be thera-

peutic, especially for children. AAA visits give homeless children a chance to partici-

pate in everyday experiences they may not have had recently, like walking a dog or

playing fetch.

Pet Visits.

A family pet visit is the arrangement for a pet to visit the owner in the health care

setting. The concept of a pet visit as therapy for hospitalized people is not new, espe-

cially in facilities with rehabilitation and mental health units. The pet that visits

308 ABSOLUTE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TOALTERNATIVE MEDICINE