Introduction:
The American Hippotherapy Association (AHA) has defined hippotherapy as “a term that refers to the use of the movement of the horse as a strategy by Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and Speech-Language Pathologists to address impairments, functional limitations, and disabilities in patients with neuromusculoskeletal dysfunction.".(1)
Hippotherapy can help many patients with different diseases and problems from movement defects and disorders to mental illnesses. Hippotherapy has a goal for treating both children and disable adults that is positively focus on balance , posture , speech , motor function , respiration and daily on living skills and this will positively affects there physical , social , psychological outcomes .
Theory :
Hippotherapy sessions occur in an indoor or outdoor area , and safety is the most important thing should be considered for both patient and his\her …show more content…
Through a kinematic analysis one study found that the rider during hippotherapy having a biphasic movement pattern that is present in healthy individuals during walking gait was mimicked by CP children who had altered gait while participating in this therapy. (5)
The pelvic movements repetition in addition effect of multiple body systems at the same time will help to increase carryover of functional activities due to restructuring of the CNS.
Tone and Spasticity:
With hippotherapy the rhythmical movements and warmth of the horse will reduce spasticity and tone for hypertonic patients .(6) After only 8 min of hippotherapy some studies found that CP patient had significant improvement in symmetry muscle activity .(7)
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Other Benefits:

Hippotherapy helps in increase the vocalization volume , quality , and quantity for CP patients to increase coordination of breathing , swallowing, and sound production and to encourage the client to move, explore and touch .
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