Hippotherapy techniques (3) – choosing therapy positions (D)

The sitting position

This position is intended for children that are able to sit on their own, children beginning with bipedal locomotion or fully verticalized children. The sitting position is the most demanding on the child’s postural system and offers direct stimulation of bipedal locomotion without the pathological pattern of the legs. This occurs when the pelvis of the client moves at one with the horse’s back without interruption. Deviations of the trunk are actively corrected independent of the movement of the horse. Once achieving perfect mastery of this position, which is demanding in terms of balance, the postural system can be burdened by sitting alone without holding handles or by, for example, eliminating sight control.

Sitting position (drawing T. Liznová, photograph from the OS Svítání archive) Key: the drawing shows an overall perspective of the chosen position with regard to positioning on the horse, which the photograph shows the details of the position.