Horses as pioneers: therapy without health insurance help!

Horses as pioneers: therapy without health insurance help!

In Germany, therapeutic riding is becoming increasingly important, especially for people with various limitations. This special concept combines the positive effects of riding on the body with the opportunity to overcome emotional barriers. Interacting with horses offers not only physical but also psychological benefits and is used as a valuable tool in many facilities.

Floercke, the head of an equestrian institution, emphasizes that riding activates the muscles of patients, especially those who use wheelchairs. “The slowest gait, the step, affects our muscles in the same way as normal walking,” she explains. Patients can therefore build muscle strength and improve their mobility through therapeutic riding before a possible recovery. In addition, the horse serves as a warming creature: “The horse radiates warmth, which also helps,” adds Floercke, which is particularly important for patients who often suffer from poor blood circulation.

Benefits of Horse Perception

In addition to physical therapy, the emotional component plays a crucial role. The presence of such a large animal such as a horse promotes patients' self-confidence. Floercke reports that some patients who have never spoken a word in their lives begin to express themselves verbally through contact with the horses. "Horses are not therapists, but rather communicative mediators. They listen carefully, but do not offer answers and do not create pressure to talk," she explains further. The animals' calm and patient nature can help patients open up and overcome their fears.

However, financing this valuable therapy is problematic in Germany. The costs for horse therapy must be borne by the patients themselves. Despite a large number of studies demonstrating the positive effects of contact with horses, these are often characterized by methodological deficiencies. The “Joint Federal Committee”, the highest decision-making body in the healthcare system, has therefore not yet been able to adequately prove the medical benefits of hippotherapy. As a result, statutory health insurance companies do not cover the costs for this therapy, which presents many affected people with a financial dilemma.

• Therapeutisches Reiten verbessert die Muskulatur und Beweglichkeit der Patienten.
• Psychische Unterstützung wird durch den Kontakt zu Pferden gefördert.
• Die Kosten für die Therapie müssen von den Patienten eigenständig getragen werden.
• Der medizinische Nutzen wird von Fachgremien als nicht ausreichend belegt angesehen.

Although therapeutic riding is a valuable form of therapy and has numerous health benefits, the discussion about reimbursement and recognition of the method remains a contentious issue in the medical community. Further information on this topic can be found at www.br.de.