Rider Physio for beginners?

[Kokoro]

I was wondering if, straight after you get a degree in human physio, you can go straight into rider theraoy, without doing any equine studies. I've been riding for five years, twice a week, and am constantly doing courses and such, so could I become a rider therapist already?
Thanks,
Kokoro x

Similar Threads:

• Question from a bike rider with a sore foot

[kizzless]

I am a therapeutic riding instructor in Canada, who is hoping to become a PT and do hippotherapy in the future. I'm not sure on the regulations in the UK, but in Canada or the US you have to be certified through AHA in addition to CanTRA or NARHA. All of these accreditations involve programs that you must work through (you can't just do the test). You may also require your BHSAI - in Canada certain levels of therapeutic riding instructor require the Canadian teaching equivalent.

Google the American Hippotherapy Association - they have lots of helpful information.

I would recommend that you seek out your appropriate therapeutic riding association in the UK and look at becoming a therapeutic riding instructor before going into hippotherapy. I'm sure that the UK has some sort of accredited program for becoming a therapeutic instructor. The information you receive through that sort of program will be extremely valuable, as well as exposing you to the field you want to work in.

I hope this helps!

[Judith Mollet]

You are only 15 so there's a while to go yet. But you have plenty of time to decide on which therapeutic riding direction may be interesting and maybe get experience as a volunteer to help your decisions. Not quite sure about the english scene now but there is a big difference between hippotherapie K and lets say, riding for the disabled and other ways of using horse and or riding for remedial purposes. Some basic horse qualifications are neccesary or if not I'd advise you to go for them. Google around first to see what is local and realistic to have a visit to. For Hippotherapie here it's physio degree plus Bobath neurologie courses plus riding experience then the hippo therapie courses afterwards. You might also be interested in Equine physio, possible after a physio degree or there are other pathways nowadays. Looking way into the future for you I believe there is a great need for riding instructors of every level to be able to analyse posture of the rider whether disabled or not to help the horse move better.....turning to use Alexander technique or Feldenkreis methods to help people on horses. Main thing for you is also to keep doing courses in the meanwhile to widen and deepen your knowledge of horses and horse handling skills, more pathways will then be available. Good luck!