How hippotherapy is used with children who have special needs

Occupational therapist Tricia Coates practices hippotherapy with children who have autism, cerebral palsy and other special needs. Unlike therapeutic riding, hippotherapy involves one-on-one interaction between a child and a horse, rather than group activities. "When you put a child on a horse, they are getting almost 1,000 impulses per minute going up to their brain. You can't replicate that in a clinic," Coates said. The Palm Beach Post (Fla.) (8/30)  http://www.palmbeachpost.com/accent/pets/hippotherapy-helps-children-with-special-needs-1806232.html?cxtype=rss_22344