ROLLING INSPIRATION MAGISINE September 2011
Animals have been part of our lives since the beginning of time. Now their role in
the treatment of recovery of patients from trauma and depression as well as
therapy for people with disabilities is growing.
Known as Animal Assisted Therapy, (AAT), the use of animals for therapeutic use
started in 1919 already by Franklin Lane, who suggested dogs could assist with
psychiatric patients. Since then animals have been helping patients with various
illnesses and conditions.
The first person to describe the positive effects of animals on patients was HS Bossard.
His study was based on the mental health of patients. The father of AAT is considered
to be Boris Levinson. He was the first to use the term Pet Therapy and pet-oriented
child psychotherapy.
Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) can be defined as: “promotes positive human-animal
interaction and incorporates the talents and traits of a therapy animal into a therapeutic
setting to facilitate the recovery of a patient seeking physical or mental health services”.
(Magister Artium in Clinical Psychology: “Physically Disabled Adolescents’ Experience
of Therapeutic Riding. A Phenomenological Investigation” by Suzette Weideman, North
West University March, 2007, Chandler (2005, p. 3)*.
Regardless of the animal used, AAT provides many benefits. Animals used in AAT
range from the most commonly used dogs and horses to cats, elephants, birds,
dolphins, rabbits, monkeys and other small animals, even lizards. The most commonly
used animals are dogs and horses. The main reason for this is their accessibility, but it
is also because of their temperament.
Lesley de Klerk is the founder of Paws for People (1998) and has the country’s first fully
insured and registered Therapy Dog Unit. She has appeared on various TV shows
related to AAT, such as Carte Blanche.
She explains that there is a difference between AAT and animal activity. “Animal activity
is a visit programme where the dogs work with people or they are together with people
in a feel good situation.” AAT is a more formal activity, she says. “AAT is when the
therapy is being done with a goal related outcome, together with an OT, or a related
professional.”
While AAT is well known and its benefits well document overseas, unfortunately in
South Africa it is only now gaining momentum. “Although we have been active in AAT in
this country for 15 years, it is only now beginning to be acknowledged as a treatment
with multiple benefits.
She says the reason why dogs are commonly used for AAT is because they are huge
motivators. “They also are non-judgemental. Unlike us, they are not visual judgers, but
see what lie inside a person. Dogs don’t care what you look like. As such dogs are
useful across the board from treating depression, the aged, children, people with
disabilities and conditions such as old timers.”
Therapy dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and can be any breed. They have to have
a good temperament as they often have to be handled. These dogs are gentle, patient
and at ease in any situation. Children generally like to hug dog while adults pet the
dogs.
While we all like to pat dogs, this is not just a feel good. A wheelchair user will be tasked
with positioning their wheelchair closer to the dog to pat it; thereby, without knowing it,
improving their manoeuvring skills.
Research in the US has confirmed the positive effects of AAT, scientifically. “Petting a
dog can reduce the stress hormone, Quarterzone,” says de Klerk. Paws for People
does not do one on one visits, but facility visits. De Klerk’s branch do a facility twice a
month and at present are looking after 10 facilities. The organisation is manned by
volunteers. There are also Paws for People across the country. (See below for contact
details.)
Animals can become an extension of a person’s body because of the inherent abilities
of these animals, for example galloping. This allows a person with a disability, for
example to then perform acts indirectly while functioning more independently. Again the
horse also provides an emotional effect that is positive, as the dog does.
In terms of AAT when it comes to horses there are different types of therapies. In South
Africa the South African Riding for the Disabled (SARDA) provides riding opportunities
to people with disabilities, in particular children. Lisa McCallum, a BSc Occupational
Therapy, is a SARDA instructor, at the Sleepy Hollow Therapeutic Riding Centre in the
Western Cape and the Equine Assisted Therapy Association of South Africa .
She was also featured in Carte Blanche. She has an extensive background and training
with AAT with horses.
“My interest in horses was perked when I was eight and I got a pony. I realised then
already what horses could do for me. My aunt is a quadriplegic so I have been exposed
to PwD my whole life.”
She studied OT and then specialised in hippotherapy, which is when a horse is the
therapy tool. She then got involved with SARDA.
“Riding therapy makes use of activities and games that have been carefully designed to
improve motor coordination, flexibility and balance. It benefits all physical disabilities
such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida and these benefits are physical, emotional and
mental.
Much of the therapy has to do with the movement of the horse. “The horse’s
movements are rhythmic. A person, who, for example, is unable to walk, will experience
this gentle movement as similar to a human walk. This will improve their flexibility,
balance and muscle strength. It is almost as if the person is learning from the horse.”
When seated on a moving horse the human pelvis also moves as it would when a
person walks. “So the person experiences what walking would feel like, i.e. weight shift,
rotation, range of movement and normalisation of muscle tone. A person has to rebalance eight times in one stride of a horse’s walk,” she explains.
The horse can take a wheelchair user to places otherwise not accessible and the
psychological benefits are as great as the physical. “The riding can give a person
confidence and emotional well-being.”
Just like the dog the horse is also non-judgmental. For AAT the horses chosen have
calm natures. “They are also reliable and we will match a horse with a person according
to height, weight and difficulties. The instructor is always assisted by volunteers.”
Therapeutic riding has three key elements: education, sport and medicine. Each one is
defined as:
Education and sport
This refers to the teaching of riding skills and is aimed at people with various special
needs. It is designed to be more recreational and sport-orientated. It is carried out by
trained instructors, although educational specialists, such as teachers and school social
workers, may assist the instructors in determining which skills a rider needs to develop.
Medicine
 Therapeutic riding: These are activities conducted by medical professionals such
as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, speech therapists and psychologists
are referred to as equine-assisted therapy and hippotherapy:
 Equine-assisted therapy: Therapists, in conjunction with riding instructors and
volunteers, use this therapy to focus on the student’s performance of the
exercises either on horseback while accommodating the motion of the horse, or
with the child on the ground, next to the horse. The therapist plans the activities
to achieve specific physical, psychological, cognitive and behavioural goals (such
as speech development, self-esteem, coordination, balance, motor planning and
relaxation). Riding instruction may or may not be a secondary goal.
 Hippotherapy: Translated, this means "treatment with the help of a horse". This
type of therapeutic riding involves the patient sitting on the horse and responding
to the three-dimensional swinging motions of the horse's back while a trained
therapist controls the horse. The rider does not attempt to influence the horse in
any way.
“Therapeutic riding is usually done by a SARDA instructor with the input of a therapist.
Hippotherapy can only be done by an OT, physical or speech therapist. We are trying to
change this as there are other therapists out there who can use this therapy.”
When teaching riding for the disabled the goal is to teach a person to ride and this is
done by a qualified instructor who has a certificate qualifying them to teach PwD.
“The idea is not to keep someone in therapy but rather to get them to move through the
therapy to a level of riding where it is just for fun or for sports,” says McCallum. This was
the path of Philippa Johns, who was a rider until she was in an accident. Following this
she trained with McCallum and subsequently she has won numerous competiti0ons and
Paralympic medals. She has also qualified for London 2012.
“Horse riding has so many benefits. The horse creates motivation thereby causing
boundaries to be pushed and goals easier to reach. There is a bond and spiritual aspect
that cannot be quantified by research. When a person is on a horse, any physical or
other stigma is removed. The riding is also fun, so it is not seen as therapy or work.”
<sidebar>Where to go
There are various facilities across the country that offer AAT
Paws for People
Contact person: Lesley De Klerk
Tel: 011 768 3643 or 082 901 8267,
E-mail: lesley.deklerk@pixie.co.za
Website: www.pawsforpeople.co.za
Paw Pals Therapy Dog Unit
Contact: Juleen du Toit
Tel: 021788 8158; 082 868 3962
Email: admin@pawpals.co.za
South African Riding for the Disabled Association (SARDA)
What: SARDA is a non-profit organisation reliant on donations and sponsorship
Where: SARDA operates in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pietermaritzburg and
Port Elizabeth, and
Contact: Sleepy Hollow Therapeutic Riding Centre
Tel: 021-789 2341
Website: www.sarda.co.za.
Optimum Wellbeing and Wellness Management CC
Tel: 072 571 1115
Fax: 086 524 8889
email: info@optimumwellbeing.co.za
Horizon Farm Trust
What: A registered non-profit and public benefit organization with section 18(a) tax
exemption for South African donors; its mission is to improve the quality of life of
intellectually impaired adults, children with disabilities and At-risk youth. It offers
therapeutic riding and hippo Therapy. Its animal assisted therapy programme includes a
free service to children from the community who have disabilities and who can benefit
from this form of intervention. The programme at Horizon Farm Trust offers time spent
caring for the farm animals. These include the horses, four dogs, rabbits and guinea
pigs, and numerous ducks and chickens. Formal outrides with the horses on lead-reigns
are taken twice or three times a week. A formal therapeutic riding group for children with
physical disabilities from the community has begun on Saturday mornings under the
guidance of our occupational therapist.
Where: Shongweni, Kwazulu Natal
Contact: Carol Hilton-Barber or Geoff Hilton-Barber 031 769 1463
Email: carolhb@shi.co.za
Website:
AMADO
What: a project-specific organisation. The aim is to give animal-assisted therapy to
disabled children who cannot afford it. It is a unique, effective and inexpensive
programme. AMADO provides Equine Assisted Therapy to 20 physically and/or
mentally disabled children in Paarl, in the Western Cape
Contact: M’lani Basson (Founder)
El: 083 604 4037
Email:info@amado.co.za