Hippotherapy is a form of physical, occupational and speech therapy in which the therapist uses the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input. It is used as a means to help participants improve coordination, balance and strength. Hippotherapy has been used to treat patients with neurological or other disabilities, such as autism, cerebral palsy, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, head injury, stroke, spinal cord injury, behavioral disorders and psychiatric disorders.