Let’s take a look at a specific treatment strategy used to treat various speech and language disorders. A speech language pathologist uses the movement of the horse to help to the client develop postural stability which increases the integrity of the oral-motor musculature. This input prepares the client’s muscles for expressive speech tasks. Common speech and language goals addressed through the use of equine movement include imitation skills, oral-motor stimulation, improving respiration and phonation, auditory memory, increasing labels, improving syntax, and developing social skills. Our speech therapist has observed the following results:
- Clients are drawn to interact with the horse, increasing communication and language thereby increasing spontaneous language.
- Clients are challenged by the dynamic movement of the horse and show improved postural alignment and respiration in preparation for speech tasks.
- Clients are constantly challenged to handle the horse’s movement while attending to and/or participating in speech/language activities.
- The movement of the horse provides a natural challenge for improving balance, trunk stability and posture, which impacts on feeding, respiration and speech patterns.
- The horse helps to organize the clients’ nervous system through entrainment. This can assist with respond to activity requests, thus improving cognition and motor skills.
- The horse’s movement is used to keep clients alert and attentive during communicative tasks. With enhanced sensory input and arousal/attention, clients become more receptive to speech and language intervention.
- Children often work with the clinician without protesting, and they actively participate and work toward achieving speech and language goals because the goals are combined with a motivating activity.