Equine Assisted Therapy in the Czech Republic (2007)

The Czech Republic, with its gorgeous scenery, more than 10.000,000 residents, and 60,000 horses, is known throughout Europe for its excellent rehabilitation facilities and spas. Since 1980, Equine Assisted Therapy (EAT), which includes hippotherapy, has been applied as a treatment approach for clients with many different diagnoses, including cerebral Palsy, developmental delay, scoliosis, MS, stroke, ADHD, Down syndrome, sensory integration disorder, behaviour disorder and psychiatric disorders.

In research processed in 2003, 77 organisations provided EAT services, including 489 horses. Unfortunately, EAT in the Czech Republic holds the same position as in most countries. It has not been acknowledged as an official rehabilitation method, so health insurance companies do not cover the services. EAT centres have yet to become part of a spa or a mental home, so these institutions cover their expenses. Others centres operate as non-governmental not-for-profit organisations. Clients cover therapy sessions by ¼; the remaining balance is reimbursed by the sponsor’s gifts from private companies and government foundations. The centres run under both employees’ and volunteers’ management.

The field of EAT has developed at a fast pace. The number of horses cooperating in therapy sessions doubled in the past ten years. There is no designated particular breed of “therapy horse”. According to the study from 2003, there are generally integrated geldings at the age of 10 – 12 years to therapy sessions. The most common breeds are Czech warm-blooded, Thoroughbred, Starokladrubsky, and Belgian draft horses. A license examination was prepared for all horses working in EAT centres in 2008. The reason is that only 156 horses out of 489 are specially trained for therapy. The owners of successful horses may apply for a grant.

The Czech Therapeutic Riding Association

The Czech Therapeutic Riding Association(CHS) was founded in 1991 as a voluntary, independent and apolitical civil association. The vision is to promote and provide rehabilitation with the help of horses, support the integration of disabled individuals and offer them sports enjoyment. CHS is an associated member of FRDI. In 2006 CHS registered 40 centres providing services in EAT (mainly Hippotherapy and Pedagogy-psychology riding) and 160 individual members – physicians, physical and occupational therapists, educators, riding instructors, clients and their parents. The membership is open for all who wish to provide services with the help of horses in medicine, pedagogy and sport for people with disabilities. CHS has four divisions – Hippotherapy, Pedagogy-psychology riding, Para-dressage and Paravaulting. Each division has its coordinator, who represents the division’s interests. CHS publishes the news-letter “Hiporehabilitace” in frequency 3 times per year. The textbook “Hiporehabilitace” was published in 1995, and an update was published in 2008.

The association has set up Hippotherapy and Pedagogy-psychology riding courses. The prerequisite for the Hippotherapy course is completed education in physical or occupational therapy, and the precondition for the Pedagogy-psychology riding course is completed education in pedagogy. Lectors are members of CHS.

The mission of CHS:

·    To create an environment and conditions for regular physical activity connected with a ride on a horse for physically, mentally and sensually disabled individuals through the support of EAT centres registered by CHS in the Czech Republic (CR).

·    To promote and carry on professional application of the methodology; to assist in founding new EAT centres and exchange experience among centres already operating; to serve as an information database and arrange communication among individuals.

• To build contacts with different organisations on both domestic and international levels; to negotiate communication channels with associations like Czech Rehabilitation and Physiatry Society, Czech Federation for Riding and Riding for the Disabled Association.

·    To promote further development and advertisement of EAT in CR; to increase public awareness of EAT as an equivalent rehabilitation method.

·    To train workers; to organise and assist in continual education in EAT methodology both in theory and practice – conducting seminars, conferences, one-day or weekend workshops, and publishing unique literature.

Obcanske sdruzeni Svitani

Obcanske sdruzeni Svitani (OS Svitani) is an EAT training centre specialising in rehabilitating neurological and orthopaedic disorders and treating children with behaviour and learning disorders located in North Bohemia. It is a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation founded in 1999; since then, it has offered hippotherapy and LPPJ services for more than 800 clients aged 1 to 50. Clients are mainly children with Cerebral Palsy, mild cerebral dysfunction, orthopaedic problems, children after injuries and adults with Multiple Sclerosis and stroke. The services are provided by 4 employees, 4 volunteers and 5 horses.

OS Svitani works in the rental condition of a riding club in Liberec that enables yearlong business in a number of 52 individual and group therapy sessions per week. There are outdoor and indoor arenas on the premises, a waiting area for clients, a wheelchair-friendly WC, a lavatory and a staff room. The whole premises of the riding club are wheelchair accessible, including the mounting ramp. The riding club is accessible by public transportation.

To provide families with disabled children with other activities, the association organises Child’s Day, St. Nicholas Day and Spring Carnival, where families, staff and horses play together. OS Svitani is also an accredited training centre by CHS and offers workshops, counselling, internships, and horse training for EAT purposes.

Vera Lantelme-Faisan, 2007