Hippotherapy Türkiye International Strategy and Vision Conference Brought Together National and International Experts and Networks
Hippotherapy Türkiye Project continues to promote studies in the field of equine assisted therapy and activities.
Ankara, 3-4 November 2023 - The Hippotherapy Türkiye Project, funded by the EU Delegation to Türkiye, brought together national and international hippotherapy network components at the International Strategy and Vision Conference hosted by Ankara University. The conference attracted attention as an important information and experience sharing platform in terms of developing the regulations in our country within the framework of a common vision, taking into account the practices, standards and legal regulations in Europe and the world.
In line with the objectives of the Hippotherapy Türkiye project, the conference, which was organized in order to bring together the institutions/organizations in the national hippotherapy network and equine and health professionals with the most effective international hippotherapy networks in the field, to develop studies in the field of scientifically based equine assisted services, to improve application standards and to disseminate studies in this field to a wider audience, attracted great interest.
The conference started with introductory speeches of the legal representative of the project, Ankara University Faculty of Dentistry Asst. Prof. Dr. Cafer YILDIRIM, Prof. Dr. Şükrü TORUN, Chairman of the Project Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR, Rector of Ankara University, Figen TUNÇKANAT, EU Delegation to Türkiye Sector Representative and Dr. Zafer KALAYCI, Head of the Department of Traditional, Complementary and Functional Medicine. The speeches emphasized the importance given to the scientific aspect of equine assisted therapies and activities in the fields of health, education and science and the impact of the project at national and international level in this context.
"Strategic plans are needed for the development and dissemination of hippotherapy"
Delivering the opening speeches, Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR, Rector of Ankara University, stated that hippotherapy is a complementary treatment method that has been applied for many years, and that this international conference draws an important vision in terms of developing the infrastructure to address a wider audience by creating an interdisciplinary cooperation network with an approach based on scientific foundations in our country. Ms. Figen TUNÇKANAT, Sector Manager of the EU Delegation, stated that the fact that the impact and cooperation network created by the project since the beginning of the project has reached the stage of cooperation with international networks that follow the scientific developments in the world with this conference is an important development in terms of sustainability in the continuation of the project and thanked everyone who contributed.
Many important speakers with national and international experience attended the conference. Prof. Dr. Şükrü ORUN, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hippotherapy Türkiye Project, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Faculty of Sports Sciences Asst. Prof. Dr. Kürşat ÖZCAN, President of the International Federation of Hippotherapy (HETI) and Senior Lecturer of the Level I Training Programme Gisela HEIMSATH-RHODES, HETI Executive Committee Member Věra LANTALME-FAISAN, Physical Therapist Sanna MATTILA-RAUTIAINEN, who specialises in horse facilitated therapy in the Government of Finland, Leading figures such as Maria LIAPI ÖDEK, "Expert in Psycho-Educational Therapy with Horses" certified by the German Therapeutic Equestrian Federation (DKTHR), Inês PEREIRA de FIGUEIREDO, Member of the HETI Research Task Force and Member of the Scientific Committee of the HETI 2024 Congress, Dr Ninette du, Member of the Board of Directors of the Board of Equine Facilitated Occupational Therapy in the United Kingdom and Member of the International Branch of Svitani. In addition to their informative presentations, leading names such as Ninette du shared their views and suggestions on equine assisted therapy and activities with the participants. Project coordinator Iva PALATOVA representing the project partner Handy Club Ostrava and president Ayhan ARSLAN representing Çankırı Arslan Sports Club attended the event.
The President of the Association of Physiotherapists of Turkey Prof. Dr. Tülin DÜGER, President of the Occupational Therapy Association Prof. Dr. Hülya Kayıhan, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Mine Uyanık, also participated in the conference and supported the vision of Hippotherapy Türkiye.
In line with the objectives of the Hippotherapy Türkiye project, the conference, which was organized in order to bring together the institutions/organizations in the national hippotherapy network and equine and health professionals with the most effective international hippotherapy networks in the field, to develop studies in the field of scientifically based equine assisted services, to improve application standards and to disseminate studies in this field to a wider audience, attracted great interest.
The conference started with introductory speeches of the legal representative of the project, Ankara University Faculty of Dentistry Asst. Prof. Dr. Cafer YILDIRIM, Prof. Dr. Şükrü TORUN, Chairman of the Project Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR, Rector of Ankara University, Figen TUNÇKANAT, EU Delegation to Türkiye Sector Representative and Dr. Zafer KALAYCI, Head of the Department of Traditional, Complementary and Functional Medicine. The speeches emphasized the importance given to the scientific aspect of equine assisted therapies and activities in the fields of health, education and science and the impact of the project at national and international level in this context.
"Strategic plans are needed for the development and dissemination of hippotherapy"
Delivering the opening speeches, Prof. Dr. Necdet ÜNÜVAR, Rector of Ankara University, stated that hippotherapy is a complementary treatment method that has been applied for many years, and that this international conference draws an important vision in terms of developing the infrastructure to address a wider audience by creating an interdisciplinary cooperation network with an approach based on scientific foundations in our country. Ms. Figen TUNÇKANAT, Sector Manager of the EU Delegation, stated that the fact that the impact and cooperation network created by the project since the beginning of the project has reached the stage of cooperation with international networks that follow the scientific developments in the world with this conference is an important development in terms of sustainability in the continuation of the project and thanked everyone who contributed.
Many important speakers with national and international experience attended the conference. Prof. Dr. Şükrü ORUN, Chairman of the Executive Board of Hippotherapy Türkiye Project, Nevşehir Hacı Bektaş Veli University Faculty of Sports Sciences Asst. Prof. Dr. Kürşat ÖZCAN, President of the International Federation of Hippotherapy (HETI) and Senior Lecturer of the Level I Training Programme Gisela HEIMSATH-RHODES, HETI Executive Committee Member Věra LANTALME-FAISAN, Physical Therapist Sanna MATTILA-RAUTIAINEN, who specialises in horse facilitated therapy in the Government of Finland, Leading figures such as Maria LIAPI ÖDEK, "Expert in Psycho-Educational Therapy with Horses" certified by the German Therapeutic Equestrian Federation (DKTHR), Inês PEREIRA de FIGUEIREDO, Member of the HETI Research Task Force and Member of the Scientific Committee of the HETI 2024 Congress, Dr Ninette du, Member of the Board of Directors of the Board of Equine Facilitated Occupational Therapy in the United Kingdom and Member of the International Branch of Svitani. In addition to their informative presentations, leading names such as Ninette du shared their views and suggestions on equine assisted therapy and activities with the participants. Project coordinator Iva PALATOVA representing the project partner Handy Club Ostrava and president Ayhan ARSLAN representing Çankırı Arslan Sports Club attended the event.
The President of the Association of Physiotherapists of Turkey Prof. Dr. Tülin DÜGER, President of the Occupational Therapy Association Prof. Dr. Hülya Kayıhan, Head of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Hacettepe University Faculty of Health Sciences Prof. Dr. Mine Uyanık, also participated in the conference and supported the vision of Hippotherapy Türkiye. 
