The book "The Horse in Therapy and Education - Abc Hippotherapy"

The presented book, the second in the ABC HYPOTERAPIA series, is devoted to the horse in therapy and education. It discusses the breeds of horses that are used in therapeutic work, their preparation and subsequent use.

The authors are experienced hypotherapists and horse riding instructors who are both veterinary surgeons, zootechnicians and professionals in the field of work and communication with horses. The book aims to facilitate the understanding of a horse that is a contributor to the therapeutic process, and to describe such use so that participation in therapy brings measurable benefits to patients while preserving animal welfare.

The book is intended for future and current hypotherapists, students in the field of hypology and riding, as well as all those interested in the knowledge and understanding of horses and informed cooperation with them.

First publication of the series ABC hiptherapy was devoted to psychopedagogical aspects of hypotherapist work with children and adolescents with disabilities. Twenty years after its release, a new edition is being prepared, updated and supplemented. We now hand over the second title of this series to the Readers A horse in therapy and education. Selection, preparation, use, whose scientific editor is Professor hab. Marta Siemieniuch-Tartanus, veterinarian, horse riding instructor and hiptherapy.

The authors of the various chapters are experienced horsemen – veterinary doctors, zootechnicians, horse riding instructors and hiptherapy. They mostly have over a dozen years of experience in working with horses, including horses for therapy and education. Each chapter presents the breeds of horses most frequently used in therapy and education, the requirements that the horse should meet, the methods of preparation and use, and the zootechnical and veterinary care that we should provide him.

In accordance with the guidelines of the Polish Hypotherapist Society (PTHip), we tried to apply in the book the latest terminology concerning the field, which for years in Poland we have been defining the term hypotherapy. Today, this term has been replaced worldwide by a term Equine Assisted Services (EAS), which, in literal translation, means ‘a equidae service’. The Polish Hypotherapist Society proposes replacing this name with the notion of "support with the participation of horses" because in our country, horses are mainly used in therapy and education.

According to the adopted definition, horse support is an orderly action aimed at achieving the stated objective, to which horses are, for reasonable reasons, included in order to achieve physical, mental and social benefits in humans. A necessary condition for horse support is to have a broad knowledge of both humans and horses. In Poland, support with the participation of horses is mainly provided by hippotherapy instructors and movement recreation instructors with speciality hippotherapy.

Within the framework of general support with horses, more specialised impacts are distinguished. These include:

- therapy with horses, Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT);

- education involving horses, Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), e.g. pedagogical therapy, special education, revalidation education, early school and school education, coaching, self-improvement;

- horse riding, horse activities, e.g. therapeutic horse riding, paraquestrian riding, paravolcery, paragliding, special Olympics (Therapeutic Horse Riding, Adaptive Riding, Adaptive Driving, Para-Vaulting...) etc.

Horse therapy is a form of support, led by qualified specialists (e.g. physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, psychotherapists, logopedists) who include trained horses in the therapeutic program in order to gain benefits from its participants. In order to conduct therapy with the participation of a horse, it is necessary to have a targeted therapeutic education and to complete additional training in support with the participation of horses. As part of therapy with horses, they were awarded:

horse physiotherapy, Equine Assisted Physiotherapy (EAPT). This is a form of support with the participation of horses, conducted by a specialised physiotherapist, using the structure, movement of the horse and activity of the participant on and on the horse to improve motor function, participation in different areas of life and quality of life of the participant;

equine occupational therapy, Equine Assisted Occupational Therapy (EAOT). It is a form of support with the participation of horses, led by a specialised occupational therapist, using horse and horse activity and the environment, in order to develop the skills of self-service and independence of the participant, and consequently to improve the quality of his life and the level/degree of participation in different areas of life;

psychological therapy with horses, Equine Assisted Psychological Therapy (EAPsT). This is a form of support with the participation of horses led by a psychologist, using horse and horse activity and horse environment to improve cognitive, emotional, social and/or behavioural functions to improve the level/level of participation in different areas of life and the quality of life of the participant;

logopedic therapy with horses, Equine Assisted Speech and Language Therapy (EASLT). It is a form of support with the participation of horses led by a specialized logopeda, using the horse's movement and activity on and on the horse and/or its environment to improve the communication of the participant with the environment and/or its speech in order to improve the quality of his life and the level/level of participation in different areas of life.

Education involving horses is a form of support conducted, among others, by a specialised educator, special educator, psychologist or psychotherapist, including educational, psychoeducational, correctional and compensatory activities, revalidation and developmental activities. Education involving horses can complement the process of pre-school, school, special education or the process of personal development in adult life.

The changes introduced are dictated by the desire to harmonise the terminology around the world concerning activities involving the horse and its increasing specialisation. To the readers of the publication I wish that they find in it answers to the current questions, and above all a safe and satisfactory therapeutic and educational work in the company of our irreplaceable partner – the horse.