"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
Who We Are
We're a non-profit organization providing physical, speech and occupational therapy using horses (hippotherapy).
We've assembled a dedicated network of volunteers with a heart and passion for seeing God’s healing come to life with the assistance of horses. It has been proven that horses create a dynamic, three-dimensional movement that cannot be produced in a traditional clinical setting.
Hope Ranch is a member of the American Hippo Therapy Association integrating horses safely and effectively into individualized therapy sessions.
What is Hippotherapy?
Hippotherapy literally means treatment with the help of a horse, from the Greek word hippos meaning horse. 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. This strategy is used as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes.”(AHA, 2000)
Who We Serve
Watching people overcome limitations using hippotherapy is the central mission to everything we do here at the ranch. There are no words to describe seeing a friendship spark between people and these majestic horses.
Asperger’s Syndrome- Autism
- Cerebral Palsy
- Stroke
- Developmental Delay
- Down Syndrome
- Genetic Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Traumatic Brain Injury
Benefits of Hippotherapy
Current research supports the benefits of hippotherapy with regards to behavioral tasks and cognitive development; engaging sensory, neuromotor and cognitive systems to achieve functional outcomes.
Arousal and attention- Belief in one’s functional capabilities
- Dynamic postural stability
- Endurance
- Expressive and/or receptive speech and language
- Gross motor skills – sitting, standing and walking
- Improve circulation
- Increase muscle tone and strength
- Midline orientation
- Bilateral integration
- Body awareness
- Coordination
- Mobility of pelvis, spine and hip joints
- Motivation
- Problem-solving movement strategies
- Range of motion
- Respiratory function
- Self-confidence
- Sensorimotor integration
- Social and pragmatic skills
- Timing and coordination of motor strategies
