Ryan Woods of Upstate New York has enormously benefited from horse-assisted treatment of his cerebral palsy, which helps his body advance and also imparts a unique pride, according to a published report.
His parents took the advice of his developmental specialist and the person who holds the physical therapy job that also helps him deal with the illness he has battled since he was 13 months old, Press Connects reports. The practice of using a horse to help with therapy is known as "hippotherapy."
"Hippotherapy has helped Ryan build trunk control, the warmth of the horse relaxes the high tone that he has in his legs and the gait of the horse provides both sensory perception as well as mimicking the gait of a person, meaning the rider will gain strength by the side-top side, up-and-down, and back-and forth motions," his mother Michelle told the news source.
The horse's movement is employed as a strategy to challenge impairments, restrictions with functioning and patients' disabilities with neuromusculoskeletal issues.
Hippotherapy is used by physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech-language pathologists, according to the website of the American Hippotherapy Association.