Earlier in May, Veronique Kruger opened Big Strides which is based at Tristone Stables in Kelly’s View.

Kruger says hippotherapy combines physical, occupational, and speech therapy techniques. It makes use of the natural way a horse walks and moves to provide input for improving movement and senses.

This therapy focuses on enhancing neurological functions and sensory processes and is commonly used to help patients with physical and mental disorders.

“A moving horse provides sensory input that is variable, rhythmic, and repetitive. This is a fantastic movement to help a child achieve functional goals,” said Kruger.

She goes on to say that physiotherapists and speech therapists may also utilise horses to enhance treatment and attain specific goals.

Children, aged two and above, with various conditions such as autism, cerebral palsy, genetic syndromes, learning challenges, poor postural control, ADHD, and traumatic brain injuries, can partake in this extraordinary therapeutic experience.

She says the positive influence of hippotherapy can last up to a week after the session.

Kruger's deep-rooted love for horses since childhood fuelled her pursuit of finding a way to merge her two passions which are therapy and equestrianism.

For children with ADHD, hippotherapy can help them to focus and concentrate.

Children with autism are provided with an opportunity to engage with a being that does not pressurise them or expect them to behave a certain way.

Children with developmental delays and cerebral palsy are given 3,000 opportunities to form new motor brain pathways that positively influence their ability to walk and move.

 “The way a horse walks mimics a human's movement, when a child sits on a horse and the horse takes one step, the child has to adjust their balance eight times.

 A horse takes approximately 3,000 steps during a 20-minute session. The session, therefore, gives 3,000 opportunities to form new motor brain pathways," Kruger explained.

The therapy session is conducted with the child riding the horse, and the child is required to execute various movements or play games while the horse moves around.

“To get it right, one has to use the right horses. In addition to the child on the horse, I move with the horse, one of the parents and the horse handler. The horse must therefore get used to the conditions of the sessions."

Kruger says the positive influence of hippotherapy can last up to a week after the session.

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