Types of Physical Therapy at Sundance:

Hippotherapy

Hippotherapy is speech therapy utilizing equine movement. Our licensed speecn therapist combines speech therapy knowledge and techniques utilizing the equine movement and the equine environment to help you/your child reach your speech therapy goals. The dynamic movement of the horse naturally supports breath control, voice production, articulation, attention, and postural stability, which are all foundational for effective communication. Sessions also take place within the engaging equine environment, providing meaningful opportunities to address language development, social interaction, and functional communication in a motivating and supportive setting.​

Outdoor Speech Therapy

Outdoor speech therapy takes place in natural, outdoor environments to support speech, language, and communication goals in a functional and engaging way. Using open spaces, movement, and real-life experiences, sessions address areas such as expressive and receptive language, articulation, voice, social communication, attention, and executive functioning. The outdoor setting provides rich sensory input and natural motivation, which can increase engagement, regulation, and carryover of skills. Natural environments also support breath control, voice projection, problem-solving, and social interaction, while promoting overall well-being and confidence.

Who might benefit from Speech Therapy at Sundance?

 Anyone who benefits from speech therapy! Do you find yourself and your child spending too much time spent in hospitals, classrooms, doctors offices? Perhaps your child is burnt out from therapy or doesn't tolerate clinic therapy well? Do they need a new environment, more time outdoors, and the calming effects of animals? Then your child may benefit from hippotherapy! We see kids 3 years old and up! Our licensed speech language pathologist combines speech therapy knowledge and techniques utilizing the equine movement and the equine environment to help your child reach your speech therapy goals. Everyone starts with an evaluation from our licensed speech language pathologist, followed by working with you to develop a personalized treatment plan to work towards your specific therapy goals. The rhythmic movement of the horse helps improve strength and sensory processing, which can positively impact speech and language development. The multisensory, interactive environment of hippotherapy promotes relaxation, reduces anxiety, and enhances focus and engagement, making it a valuable and enjoyable therapy option for those seeking to improve their communication skills.

​Sessions are billed under physical therapy codes to your insurance, covered by insurance similarly to clinic physical therapy. Hippotherapy can, and often should, be in conjunction with clinic physical therapy in order to complement and maximize progress towards physical therapy goals.