Element 6 Announces Cowboy Up Therapies, A Professional Occupational, Physical, and Speech Therapy Practice Specializing In Animal-Assisted Therapy and Hippotherapy
Houston, TX ― Element 6, a private equity company, announced the opening of Cowboy Up Therapies, a professional occupational and speech therapy practice that specializes in the treatment of neurological and developmental disorders using Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) and hippotherapy. “I’m very humbled and excited to be a part of such an exciting new venture,” said Kelley Warren, MS, CCC-SLP, Executive Director of Cowboy Up Therapies, who is a licensed and certified Speech-Language Pathologist with over 11 years of experience in neurological disorders.
Cowboy Up Therapies will focus its treatment efforts on traditional, evidence based 
therapy while incorporating hippotherapy, a tried-and-true modality into each patient’s treatment plan. Hippotherapy as a treatment modality incorporates the physical movement of the horse to assist in the development or rehabilitation of motor skills for both children and adults. “Hippotherapy has shown to be a powerful treatment modality through evidence-based research and results, to engage the sensorimotor and neuromotor systems of patients who have been diagnosed with brain injuries, neurogenic disorders, developmental delays, autism, cerebral palsy , apraxia or other neurological and developmental disorders,” Warren said.
Therapy can be very stressful for patients and their progress can be negativly affected if they are feeling anxious or uncomfortable during their sessions. By incorporating miniature therapy horses and trained therapy dogs with our patients we are able to provide a level of care and comfort that is simply not possible in a traditional clinic setting. The unconditional acceptance these therapy animals create considerably increases the overall wellness of the patient.
Treating Patients Using The Human-Animal Bond
Hippotherapy and animal assisted therapy both take advantage of the unique healing power of the human-animal bond by incorporating trained horses into the treatment plan, providing sensory stimulation and motor rehabilitation components that are not available with passive non-animal treatments. Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness of using hippotherapy as a treatment modality, including:
· treatment of balance disorders
· functional motor performance
· reduced spasticity of lower extremities
· Increased breath support to aid in improved articulation and speech volume
· Improved alertness, attention and memory through cognitive retraining
“Just as important as the treatment is the natural love people have for horses,” said Warren. “The horses can turn therapy into an enjoyable, happy, life-changing experience. I know the positive effects of hippotherapy and animal assisted therapy and look forward to Cowboy Up Therapies providing an outstanding level of care for our patients for many years to come.”
About Cowboy Up Therapies
Based in Houston, Texas, Cowboy Up Therapies is a professional therapy practice that specializes in the treatment of neurological and developmental disorders for children and adults. When appropriate, they incorporate hippotherapy, therapeutic riding, and animal assisted therapy into treatment plans for their clients. Hippotherapy is a therapy modality which assists in the redevelopment of motor skills by incorporating the physical movement of horse riding and the psychological aspects of the human-animal bond. Cowboy Up Therapies strives to promote a learning and healing environment – reducing treatment stress and providing an enjoyable, highly conducive learning environment. More information is available at www.cowboyuptherapies.com or like us on FaceBook.