Occupational Therapists are uniquely qualified to assist clients with functional limitations because of their skills, knowledge and competencies across physical, cognitive and emotional domains. Occupational therapists (OTs) are university graduates (Master’s level trained).
Training includes anatomy, neurology, physiology, and mental health conditions in addition to occupational therapy theory and practical skills.
Occupational therapists provide rehabilitation using a diverse range of interventions, each with the purpose of improved functionning for the client.
The occupational therapist is able to combine the effects of the equine movement with other standard intervention strategies to work on fine motor control, sensory integration, feeding skills, play skills, attention skills, emotional regulation skills, and functional daily living skills in a progressively challenging manner.
Training includes anatomy, neurology, physiology, and mental health conditions in addition to occupational therapy theory and practical skills.
Occupational therapists provide rehabilitation using a diverse range of interventions, each with the purpose of improved functionning for the client.
The occupational therapist is able to combine the effects of the equine movement with other standard intervention strategies to work on fine motor control, sensory integration, feeding skills, play skills, attention skills, emotional regulation skills, and functional daily living skills in a progressively challenging manner.
Testimonial:
For a few years, we have traveled all over Canada and the United States in search of therapies for our daughter. After not seeing results with conventional physiotherapy and occupational therapy, we traveled with our special needs child in hope of finding treatment with positive outcomes. Sometimes we were successful and sometimes we saw a regression in our daughter’s development. Upon my research, I came across Hippotherapy and was intrigued with the idea of using the movement of a horse for the facilitation of the neuromotor system that supports the functional inputs of the patient. We were very fortunate to find out that Stable Connections is located in our home province of Manitoba.
During our first session, the team at Stable Connections proved their knowledge and experience with children. The team takes time to connect with our daughter, she is engaged in all the activities, and the animals provide comfort. The treatment my daughter receives at Stable Connections helps her to organize her sensory system and unlock abilities that we thought we would never see. After each session we notice that our daughter is calmer, stronger and better coordinated.
After a few sessions, we were able to see our daughter’s core muscles strong enough to be able to ride along with the horse’s movement. Our daughter’s neurologist told us that our daughter would walk independently around the age of five. Our daughter started walking independently a month before her fourth birthday. Without a doubt, she was able to meet this major milestone thanks to the few months of sessions at Stable Connections. We witness her strength, balance and confidence grow as she attends sessions at Stable Connections.
I wish and pray that Stable Connections establishes into a year-round facility that can accommodate more people in need because it has proven to work far better than all the other therapeutic practices we have visited. Sarah at Stable Connections is committed to her patients, the families and her profession. We are forever grateful for Sarah’s commitment to our daughter’s goals in becoming independent, as well as educating us as caregivers in assisting our daughter in everyday activities. Sarah is an inspirational therapist and we are so blessed to have her on our daughter’s health team.
Sincerely,
Carla Nejmark
For a few years, we have traveled all over Canada and the United States in search of therapies for our daughter. After not seeing results with conventional physiotherapy and occupational therapy, we traveled with our special needs child in hope of finding treatment with positive outcomes. Sometimes we were successful and sometimes we saw a regression in our daughter’s development. Upon my research, I came across Hippotherapy and was intrigued with the idea of using the movement of a horse for the facilitation of the neuromotor system that supports the functional inputs of the patient. We were very fortunate to find out that Stable Connections is located in our home province of Manitoba.
During our first session, the team at Stable Connections proved their knowledge and experience with children. The team takes time to connect with our daughter, she is engaged in all the activities, and the animals provide comfort. The treatment my daughter receives at Stable Connections helps her to organize her sensory system and unlock abilities that we thought we would never see. After each session we notice that our daughter is calmer, stronger and better coordinated.
After a few sessions, we were able to see our daughter’s core muscles strong enough to be able to ride along with the horse’s movement. Our daughter’s neurologist told us that our daughter would walk independently around the age of five. Our daughter started walking independently a month before her fourth birthday. Without a doubt, she was able to meet this major milestone thanks to the few months of sessions at Stable Connections. We witness her strength, balance and confidence grow as she attends sessions at Stable Connections.
I wish and pray that Stable Connections establishes into a year-round facility that can accommodate more people in need because it has proven to work far better than all the other therapeutic practices we have visited. Sarah at Stable Connections is committed to her patients, the families and her profession. We are forever grateful for Sarah’s commitment to our daughter’s goals in becoming independent, as well as educating us as caregivers in assisting our daughter in everyday activities. Sarah is an inspirational therapist and we are so blessed to have her on our daughter’s health team.
Sincerely,
Carla Nejmark
Testimonial:
The one and only good thing that came out of this pandemic? A confirmation that occupational therapy incorporating Hippotherapy was really helping my son. In spring of 2020, when everything got shut down, including
therapies, regression started. Vincent was agitated and frustrated. He had stresses and pain that
we could not help him with. He had been doing occupational therapy incorporating Hippotherapy for at least 2 years and was excited to do so. What has hippotherapy helped my son with? You name it and it helped!
Frustration, vocalization, constipation, alertness, stress, focus, and I could go on! Hippotherapy
has helped us do activities as a family because his stress and agitation towards his sisters was
replaced by a curiosity and wonder of what they were doing. Even though my son is nonverbal,
he does not hide his feelings and he made it very clear when he likes or dislikes something. He
made it very clear that he loves his sessions and that he NEEDS them. I honestly don’t know
what we would do without it.
Alain, Prévine et Vincent Beauchamp
The one and only good thing that came out of this pandemic? A confirmation that occupational therapy incorporating Hippotherapy was really helping my son. In spring of 2020, when everything got shut down, including
therapies, regression started. Vincent was agitated and frustrated. He had stresses and pain that
we could not help him with. He had been doing occupational therapy incorporating Hippotherapy for at least 2 years and was excited to do so. What has hippotherapy helped my son with? You name it and it helped!
Frustration, vocalization, constipation, alertness, stress, focus, and I could go on! Hippotherapy
has helped us do activities as a family because his stress and agitation towards his sisters was
replaced by a curiosity and wonder of what they were doing. Even though my son is nonverbal,
he does not hide his feelings and he made it very clear when he likes or dislikes something. He
made it very clear that he loves his sessions and that he NEEDS them. I honestly don’t know
what we would do without it.
Alain, Prévine et Vincent Beauchamp
Testimonial:
Our occupational therapy sessions including Hippotherapy have helped our child with balance and motor planning. Since we began our sessions with Sarah and the team at Stable Connections – we have seen success in physical literacy skills like being more comfortable in the water - mastering front and back floats, as well as front crawl and backstroke, and riding a bike without any aids. The confidence gained from working with Sarah, her team, and the horses is immeasurable. We see a willingness to try things that were simply not even a consideration prior to hippotherapy and that confidence spills over into every aspect of life. We can’t thank Sarah enough for her professionalism and the genuine care and interest she takes in each of her clients. She and the therapy horses give so much to everyone and the love comes back tenfold! Thank you for the work you do to improve quality of life – I don’t know where we would be without you and the service you provide.
-Anonymous parent
Our occupational therapy sessions including Hippotherapy have helped our child with balance and motor planning. Since we began our sessions with Sarah and the team at Stable Connections – we have seen success in physical literacy skills like being more comfortable in the water - mastering front and back floats, as well as front crawl and backstroke, and riding a bike without any aids. The confidence gained from working with Sarah, her team, and the horses is immeasurable. We see a willingness to try things that were simply not even a consideration prior to hippotherapy and that confidence spills over into every aspect of life. We can’t thank Sarah enough for her professionalism and the genuine care and interest she takes in each of her clients. She and the therapy horses give so much to everyone and the love comes back tenfold! Thank you for the work you do to improve quality of life – I don’t know where we would be without you and the service you provide.
-Anonymous parent
