Equinotherapy for Blind Children 2001

We present here the preliminary results of research being conducted with blind children ranging from 5 to 12 years old, in order to evaluate the influence of Equinotherapy in their behaviours. In Equinotherapy we use the horse as a kinetic-therapeutic instrument following an interdisciplinary approach in the health, education and horsemanship areas, aiming the bio- psychosocial development of handicapped people or people with special needs. This therapeutic method can be practised by almost all people with a condition or handicap once it stimulates self-esteem, self confidence, balance, space orientation development, communication, laterality, as well as favouring the body scheme perception and the sensibility and promoting physical benefits.