Rome: In a historic area of Rome, where horse races once captivated audiences, four horses and two ponies now serve a gentler purpose. These animals at the San Giovanni Battista Hospital aid neurological patients in regaining movement and confidence at a much slower, therapeutic pace.
With handles on the sides of their saddles, the horses and ponies allow patients to take their first steps following traumas, strokes, degenerative diseases, and long COVID. “It’s a beautiful feeling, to be able to stay in equilibrium, to be able to walk. It’s difficult but with the horse I can do it,” shared Matteo Santopadre, a former shooting champion who now relies on a wheelchair after a prolonged coma caused by a car accident.
San Giovanni Battista Hospital, located on the outskirts of Rome where the city’s hippodrome once stood, is Italy’s only hospital utilizing hippotherapy. This therapy harnesses the horses’ movements to help improve patients’ muscle strength, balance, and coordination in ways that traditional gym exercises cannot. Additionally, it fosters a deep connection between the animals and the patients, developing trust and affection through a gradual and sensory approach, which offers substantial psychological benefits.
Running for several years, the hospital’s hippotherapy program complements conventional rehabilitation methods. In 2023, it supported over 600 patients. Physiotherapist Giorgia De Santis explains that a horse “does not judge, is not prejudiced.” She elaborates, “With its calm, quiet breathing and slow heartbeats, the horse engages the patients, leading them to relax, let their guard down, and let go. It makes everything easier for them, more welcoming.”
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Giuliana Geatti and Paola Conto, both living with Parkinson’s disease, testify to the confidence and sense of freedom that hippotherapy provides. “The contact with the animal is exceptional. Because it feels what you feel, you know?” said Geatti, as she leaned forward to embrace the horse’s neck while seated on its back.
