Rocking Horse Rehab
A Pediatric Rehab and Family Wellness Center
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Read on to find out what's happening at Rocking Horse Rehab!
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We have session times available starting immediately! We have occupational therapy available on Wednesday afternoons and therapeutic riding on Friday afternoons. Call us today for more information!
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Message of the Month
What is Hippotherapy and what does a Hippo have to do with it?
by Lynda MannBos, PT
Hippotherapy is a form of physical, occupational, and speech therapy in which the therapist uses the unique movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input. But where does a Hippo come in? Well the Greek word hippo means horse!
It is not clear when riding for the disabled became a specialized field, but history records the physical and emotional benefits of horseback riding as early as the days of the ancient Greeks.
In the early 1900’s, England recognized riding for the disabled as a beneficial form of therapy and offered riding therapy for wounded soldiers during WWI. By the 1950's, British physical therapists were exploring the possibilities of riding as therapy for all types of handicaps. In 1952, at the Helsinki Olympics, Liz Hartel won a silver medal in equestrian sports and told the world how riding had helped her recover from polio. In the 1960’s the horse began to be viewed as an adjunct to physical therapy in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria and was called ‘hippotherapy’. Over time, physical therapists in the United States developed treatment using for the movement of the horse. This marked the beginning of Hippotherapy in the United States.
Hippotherapy requires a team! Each session involves a licensed physical, occupational, or speech therapist, a trained therapy horse, an equine leader, and a sidewalker that provides additional support and safety for child on the horse.
The child is positioned on the horse in a variety of ways. The movement of the horse provides a dynamic base of support, making it an excellent means for increasing core strength and control, improving balance, building overall postural strength, and endurance. It also addresses motor planning as the therapist guides the child through a variety of fine and gross motor activities while on the horse. In addition, the horse’s movement offers sensory, vestibular, proprioceptive, visual, and tactile input. The movement of the horse is used as an intervention to achieve many functional goals including walking. For instance, when a child is sitting forward on the horse, the horse’s walking gait imparts movement responses remarkably similar to normal human gait. For children who are non-ambulatory, this gives them input that is similar to walking!
The effects of the horse’s movement can be used to facilitate many fine and gross motor skills, improving everyday functional daily living skills. Also, incorporating animals into a client’s treatment can increase motivation, participation and engagement in all therapies!
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Horse of the Month
Happy Retirement Que!
Welcome Bubbles!
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This month, we are saying "farewell" and "happy retirement" to our equine partner Que Boy. Since February of 2013, Que has been an integral part of our equine therapy programs. With his strong body and gentle heart, Que has taken on our most challenging riders. His sweet personality has brought so much joy to our staff, volunteers, interns, and most of all, our RHR kids.
Que has touched many lives as a riding partner, a therapy horse, and a confidant in our equine facilitated mental health programs. We are sending Que off in good hands to enjoy his retirement at a beautiful barn with lots of turn out and green pastures as he very much deserves!
Thank you Que Boy! We love you and we will miss you!
As we say “farewell” to Que Boy, we say “hello" to our new equine partner, Bubbles! Bubbles is a 15 year old quarter horse mare who was a western lesson horse in Kentucky before moving to New York where we met her. Bubbles stands about 15 hands and has a super sweet face and loving personality. Her movement is ideal for Hippotherapy and she is polite and caring under saddle. We knew Bubbles would be a great therapy horse because of her quiet demeanor and willingness to please and we can’t wait for you to meet her!!
We look forward to working with Bubbles for many years to come!
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Volunteer of the Month
Michael
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Michael worked with us last year and has returned again to help with our Friday groups. He always brings a smile to our office and loves helping our kids stay safe and secure on the horses. His height is particularly helpful for our kids who need more support, and his smile helps all the kids feel safe and happy during their rides. We love having Michael as a volunteer!
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Thank you to our grant giver
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RHR is a recipient of a generous grant from the Italian Welfare League, an organization which assists children of Italian descent who are ill or have suffered an emotional trauma. Since 2001, the League has donated more than $1,850,000 to over 1,470 recipients for medical bills, special needs equipment, therapeutic services, transportation, and rehabilitation. Their grant helps us to provide services for children of Italian descent who otherwise would not be able to afford our services.
Their recipients have many different diagnoses, such as brain injuries, autism, cerebral palsy, and Down syndrome. For more information on how to receive a grant for our services, please email us at:
carey@rockinghorserehab.com
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2019 Favorite Kids' Docs!
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Congratulations to our RHR
therapists who have been voted
NJ's Favorite Kids' Docs 2019
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Sheri Marino, MA, CCC-SLP
Kathy Lutz, LCSW, CADC
Elizabeth Belfiore, MS, CCC-SLP
Thank you to all of our clients who voted! Make sure to check out the magazine when it comes out in December!
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Check out our partner:
Autism Healthcare Collaborative
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$1,000,000
DONATED TO
THE AUTISM THINK TANK!
We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving and we are beaming with pride to finally announce the Autism Think Tank has received a donation in the amount of $1,000,000 in unrestricted funds!
Because of the extraordinary generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Pete and Eileen Keeler, the Autism Think Tank has been given this unrestricted gift that has enabled us to completely rebrand our organization to encompass programs to meet the vast needs of families living with autism, across the spectrum and throughout their lifetime.
OUR NEW NAME IS:
AUTISM HEALTHCARE COLLABORATIVE
Our new name reflects the primary mission of our organization which is supporting the healthcare needs of people living with autism, their families, and their physicians.
AUTISM THINK TANK medical videoconferencing will remain a primary program within the AUTISM HEALTHCARE COLLABORATIVE.
PLEASE CHECK OUT OUR NEW VIDEO ON OUR NEW WEBSITE:
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Thank you to the following universities and colleges for providing us with wonderful student interns. We are honored to help influence their futures in the health professions as fieldwork educators.
Eastwick College
Fairleigh Dickinson University
Felician College
Kean University
Monmouth University
Montclair State University
New Jersey City University
New York University
Raritan Valley College
Philadelphia University
Queens College
Rutgers Univeristy
Salus University
Seton Hall University
St. Catherine's Univeristy
State College of Pennsylvania
Tauro College
University of Scranton
Villanova University
William Paterson University
To complete an internship at RHR, email:
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Field Trip times available!!
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Rocking Horse Rehab is open
Monday-Friday 10am-6pm
and Sundays from 9am-5pm.
SCHOOLS: TO BOOK A FIELD TRIP, CALL US NOW!
To request a client registration packet, email:
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Rocking Horse Rehab is a pediatric rehabilitation and family wellness center located within the Essex Equestrian Center in West Orange, NJ. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life of individuals with special needs and their families by offering innovative opportunities for clinical, educational and social development. Our philosophy is to treat the "whole child" using equine assisted therapies with the expertise of our highly specialized staff.
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About our Founder
Sheri A. Marino, MA, CCC-SLP
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Sheri founded Rocking Horse Rehab in September 2001. She is a pediatric speech-language pathologist who specializes in autism spectrum disorders. Sheri oversees program development and daily operations for RHR with the support of a dedicated, professional staff. She is the Executive Director of Autism Healthcare Collaboratve, a non-profit, medical videoconferencing team for individuals with medically complex autism. Sheri works directly with the Autism Think Tank families and physicians and manages all fundraising, marketing and family events. In addition, Sheri is a consultant to the Focus For Health Foundation which is dedicated to promoting advocacy, education and research to combat chronic health issues around the world.
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Stay connected:
Have you seen our fun pictures and videos on Facebook?
Check us out and like our page!
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12-22 Woodland Ave. West Orange, NJ 07052
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