My name is Kelly Littau and I am a senior at Loyola Academy in Wilmette, IL. This fall I attending Marquette University as an Exercise Physiology major and am enrolled in their Doctorate of Physical Therapy direct admittance graduate program. I am focused and driven in school, and my grades reflect that, as I am a Loyola Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. After school, I enjoy practicing and competing as a competitive cheerleader, and I am the captain of my team as well. Also, I am a figure skater and perform solos in my club's annual spring ice show. Furthermore, last summer I volunteered as a camp counselor at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago for their Caring for Kids program, a summer camp for kids with disabilities. I went on a week long summer service trip to Cairo, Illinois with my school as well. I work as a lifeguard at Niles Oasis Waterpark over the summer, and during the school year I coach figure skating at the Skokie Skatium.
I have known I wanted to be a physical therapist since I was twelve years old and my dad tore his ACL. I attended his physical therapy with him and assisted him with his stretches at home, mimicking the physical therapist's words and actions. My mother is a special education teacher, so I have always been taught to treat the disabled with respect and kindness, as I would to any other person. Because of my upbringing, I always wanted to work with the disabled in some way. Since visiting the physical therapist with my dad and becoming more involved with the profession through volunteering, I knew this was a fit for me because it combines my love of working with people and helping the disabled.

Essay: Hippotherapy

Hippotherapy, or the use of horses for physical therapy, can provide many benefits to a patient. Because of the steady rocking of the horse when it walks, hippotherapy strengthens the client's core muscles and balance, especially for those who spend their entire lives in a wheelchair. The repetitive and rhythmic nature of a horse's walk offers the client soothing movement stimuli. Most sessions take place outside and are accompanied by other activities such as feeding or grooming the horses, so the client receives a multifaceted sensory experience. After a few sessions riding the specially trained horse, a client will begin to display increased gross motor skills, posture, and sensory awareness. I got to experience the wonders of hippotherapy by being a camp counselor at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. The camp kids had an outing at an animal therapy center, and I worked with them and the horses, helping them ride around the track. I saw their faces light up as each kid got to greet and pet their horse, and they could not contain their excitement while riding, some even shouting with delight. All of this occurred while they were doing their physical therapy for the day, something that most of them dread and complain about. This session completely changed their attitudes about doing therapy and trying new things they may be afraid of, something they will carry with them for the rest of their lives.
Because hippotherapy offers an alternative to the client's typical setting with a therapist and involves animals, participants become extremely excited and motivated to complete a full day's work of physical therapy while doing something fun for them. It makes an enormous impact on their daily life because it is a source for energy and positivity for their day, while also improving their health. The experience becomes a cherished memory for them to relive through pictures or drawings afterward. Often hippotherapy is accompanied by other forms of therapy, like art or music therapy. These alternative forms not only improve the child's physical abilities, but also boosts their mood and interest in other activities. Hippotherapy makes the biggest difference in a disabled child's life because they are included in the fun activity for once and do not have to watch from the sidelines.