Conditioning horse for maintenance in hippotherapy

Abstract

The choice of the horse and its conditioning to the practices of hippotherapy are of great importance so that the animal can perform its function of satisfactory form. The objective of the work is to condition the horses for their maintenance in the hippotherapy of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology in Campus Barbacena and to provide improvements in the work already practiced, aiming the animal welfare. The method used was the routine change of the animals with the application of bonuses such as carrot, brushing, relaxing bath and galloping after the sessions. The evaluation of horse behavior in the sessions of hippotherapy was performed through a questionnaire applied to the therapists responsible. No significant differences were observed in any of the evaluated questions and in none of the experimental procedures tested (carrot, brushing, bathing and stretching). With the applied study method, it was not possible to develop a conditioning model for horses that practice hippotherapy. More studies will be needed on the animals that perform the activity.