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Our Core Values
Integrity: to always act with
principle
Excellence: to always strive
for improvement
Respect: for each other,
and our environment
Equality: to recognize the
best in everyone
Humor: to enjoy our work
and each other
~ Heated indoor areana
~ Dust free footing
~ Handicapped access
~ Private therapy rooms
~ Ample parking
Frequently Asked Questions
Quest realizes there are many questions about Hippotherapy, and would like to take this opportunity to provide the following information.
1. How does hippotherapy work?
Hippotherapy has been shown to be one of the most efficient and effective treatments to improve postural control, balance and walking in patients with motor disorders. Children with developmental disabilities such as spasticity, hypotonia (low tone), and attention disorders, as well as traumatic brain injury can benefit from hippotherapy. The horse's movement has a therapeutic effect on the child because it imparts a precise, repetitive pattern of movement very similar to the movement of a person's pelvis during normal walking.
The major aims of hippotherapy include mobilizing the pelvis, lumbar spine and hip joints, normalizing muscle tone, developing head and trunk postural control and equilibrium reactions in the trunk. In fact, these goals of postural control and equilibrium reactions can be achieved more easily on the horse than in the clinic. The horse's rhythmical movements transmit symmetrical sensory input to the child's brain and nervous system in a way that cannot be imitated by a mechanical apparatus or with any degree of consistency in the traditional therapy clinic. Therefore, hippotherapy offers a valuable adjunct or even an alternative to more conventional treatment tools.
2. How does hippotherapy differ from therapeutic riding?
In hippotherapy, the therapist uses the horse as part of an overall treatment plan to achieve specific functional goals, such as improving postural control, balance, sensory integration, and/or walking. The therapist works closely with the family to carry over gains made in therapy into daily routines. The focus is on improving function. The therapist has extensive training in understanding disabilities, and how to improve function as it relates to the disability. The therapist focuses on empowering the family to take part in guiding, leading and transforming disabilities into functional skills.
In therapeutic riding, the instructors use equine activities to achieve cognitive, behavioral, psychological and physical goals while teaching adapted riding skills. The focus is on mastering riding skills.
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