Research from 2013

This is something I usually do - I do a search in my usual databases and I collect all the scientific articles that addresses the bond between speech therapy and hippotherapy. While doing this, I really don't care what words the authors use or if they use the word hippotherapy the way I do - what is important is how they do it and how they achieve the outcomes with the people. The articles don't need to address specifically or directly the speech therapy, rather they need to address the way they join both fields and whether they report outcomes in communication related areas. The studies, which address just the balance or physical improvements, were rejected.

Disclaimer: the links I provide are not mine, the articles are hosted and free available on other websites/servers. As the author of this blog, I am not responsible for the content of the articles neither the way they are shared.

Here is a list that is supposed to be up to date.


Cohort based studies:

Lanning, Beth A., et al. "Effects of Equine Assisted Activities on Autism Spectrum Disorder." Journal of autism and developmental disorders (2014): 1-11. Download

Valle, Lila Maria Ornelas, Aparecida Yumi Nishimori, and Kátia Nemr. "Speech therapy in hippotherapy." Revista CEFAC 16.2 (2014): 511-523. - Download

Ajzenman, Heather F., John W. Standeven, and Tim L. Shurtleff. "Effect of Hippotherapy on Motor Control, Adaptive Behaviors, and Participation in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Pilot Study." American Journal of Occupational Therapy 67.6 (2013): 653-663. - Donwload - Supported by Human & Horses Research Foundation

Boyer, Valerie E. "Using Animal-Assisted Therapy to Facilitate Social Communication: A Pilot Study." Revue canadienne d’orthophonie et d’audiologie| Vol 38.1 (2014). - Download

Literature review:

Long, Sarah. "Hippotherapy as a Tool for Improving Motor Skills, Postural Stability, and Self Confidence in Cerebral Palsy and Multiple Sclerosis." Sound Neuroscience: An Undergraduate Neuroscience Journal 1.2 (2013): 3. - Download

Jacobs, Connie I. "Animal-Assisted Therapy and the Child-Animal Bond: Children's Well-being and Behavior." (2013). - Donwload

Carriker, Morgan N. "Perceived Satisfaction of Equine-Assisted Therapy: A Qualitative Study of Family Narratives." (2013). - Donwload

Case studies:

Maestas sDPT, Rachel Y. "Does Hippotherapy Improve Gross Motor Function in Children with Cerebral Palsy?." Orthopaedics Research Journal (2013): 41. - Download (YES, it was done based on an Skyline Therapy kid!!!)

Tenorio, Reena. "Does equine movement positively impact functionalabilities in children with Autism Disorder?!." (2014). - Download (Once more, Skyline Therapy as stage of good research!)

General reports:

Lepore, Natasha, and Lawrence Yau. "Hippotherapy: A holistic approach to rehabilitation." WURJ: Health and Natural Sciences 4.1 (2013): 2. - Download

Boogie Board - material review

My last buy was the Boogie Board in Dallas Airport. I found that the toys are very different from Europe - the shop was Geppeto's. The staff is just wonderful and very nice. Although it is a small airport shop (in terminal A), I lost myself inside. I bought a Folkmanis' frog puppet and a Boogie Board.

The last one is specially useful when working with horses and dirt. I think it is just amazing - here is a picture of it! All kids want one! It is really a success and it really substitutes my whiteboard.

There is plenty of them but I own the classical one. It is an electronic board and that allows us to write on its surface using a pen with a plastic hard tip. With just one click, the image just disappears.

It has a lot of advantages:

-With the arena dirt it doesn't stop its work, against the normal pens - with sand they get stuck or get bad anyway;

-We don't need to recharge the battery, because it has a watch battery that allows a lot of usage!

-It is not that expensive such as a normal tablet - so, if the horse or the child breaks you just loose $34;

-You don't waste that amount of paper.

However, with the dirty it can get scratched.

Lecture - IALP 2013, Turin, Italy

Dear readers,

Finnaly online, so I can provide you the handouts of the lecture entitled "The Equine Assisted Therapy as Strategy in SLP Intervention". This was a free paper presented at World Congress of IALP 2013. Please, feel free to download it at: http://goo.gl/4KNBDA.

You can cite it as follows: Pestana, P. and Freitas, S. (2013). The Equine Assisted Therapy as Strategy in SLP Intervention. 29th World IALP Congress 2013, Turin, Italy.