Therapeutic Horse riding

[Left coast liberal]

Interesting. I have heard this before. Anybody have any experience?

http://www.examiner.com/x-19093-Seattle-Special-Needs-Kids-Examiner~y2009m9d17-Therapeutic-horse-riding-kids-with-special-needs-make-progress-in-the-saddle

"Many children with special needs find bonding, riding and taking care of horses exceedingly therapeutic and may be including in an overall treatment program.

Children with physical disabilities, such as Cerebral Palsy who have difficulties with locomotion, are able to feel the comforting natural rhythm of walking perhaps for the first time. It improves nerve and muscle coordination as well as muscle strength and can prevent further dysfunction caused by lack of muscle and joint use. Stronger muscles help with breathing, sitting upright and speech.

Many children with developmental delays or on the autism spectrum also find great reward from this therapy. Some children who have been previously non-verbal may speak for the first time when they want to communicate with a horse."

[mucifer]

1. my nephew has mild autism. He gets a lot of enjoyment from the horse therapy.

[leveymg]

2. Dogs are therapeutic too, but I don't get a tax break for owning one.

I have no doubt that it's good for everyone to be around horses and dogs and cats, and what have you. I know it is for me.

[Richard D]

3. A friend of mine does this . . .

. . . and she has amazing stories about the children and how they change when in the presence of the horses.

[MercutioATC]

4. An ex-girlfriend of mine is very involved in therapeutic riding.

She's a rider and helps run a local therapeutic riding program. I volunteered for a couple of sessions, and it IS amazing to see how much their behavior changes when they're around the horses.

Her website (she's a photographer):

http://equineartistrybybarbara.com (some great images under the "Galleries" tab if you like horses)

There's an entry under the "Blog" tab about her photographing a therapeutic riding program.

[Left coast liberal]

5. Beautiful pictures. Thanks! NT

[MercutioATC]

6. She's the most talented photographer I've ever known.

She shot HRC's brother's wedding at the White House, she's won every photography award known to man, and she's got a passion for horses...which makes her equine images very special.