Why are transitions considered in the tandem hippotherapy session duration?

In tandem hippotherapy sessions, transitions are considered important because they significantly influence the effective duration of the session. Transitions can include moments when a client moves from one position to another, shifts from the horse to a therapeutic activity, or prepares to start or end the hippotherapy session. These transitions inherently take time and can be seen as time spent that does not contribute directly to the therapeutic activities.

Because these transitions do not directly engage clients in the therapeutic interventions that define the session, they can encroach on the actual time allocated for the primary objectives of the session. Therefore, when planning and executing hippotherapy sessions, professionals must account for these transitions to ensure that the majority of the session time is utilized efficiently for therapeutic benefit.

In contrast, the other options indicate that transitions may require additional care, are not factored into the session, or are optional. However, these considerations do not accurately reflect the reality that transitions must be planned for since they can limit the effective time spent on therapy itself. Thus, recognizing that transitions take time away from the session is vital for effective session management in hippotherapy.