Speech Therapy with Horses

Dr. Beth Macauley joined in a partnership with Renew Therapeutic Riding Center in the creation of summer speech therapy camps over the summer of 2021.

Speech therapy incorporating horses was the foundation for Speech Camp 2021. A unique experience for children with communication disorders. A partnership between Renew Therapeutic Riding Center, Macaulay Therapy Services and Grand Valley State University's department of communication sciences and disorders, worked together to make this experience happen.

Twelve children over three weeks participated in the camp. Each child received three hours of therapy with a graduate student in speech language pathology each day. The therapy included an hour of hippo therapy, in which movement of the horse was used to facilitate improved neurological function, resulting in better communication skills, increased attention, better language, clearer articulation, and even decreases in disfluencies.

The camp was under the direction of Dr. Beth Macauley, an internationally recognized Speech Pathologist, who has board certification in hippo therapy.
Renew is very proud to offer these speech camps in the summer of 2021 and is hopeful that the partnership between Renew TRC and Dr. Beth Macauley's practice can continue and offer speech therapy services at Renew, using the horses to facilitate improvement towards speech pathology goals.

Film Creation: Reyna Breuring
Camp Director: Dr. Beth Macauley
Location: Renew Therapeutic Riding Center
Music: https://www.bensound.com