|
“God made the wild animals according to
their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the
creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God
saw that it was good.” – Genesis 1:24, NIV
I can’t tell you how
many times I had said that my son, Brindley. should try
horse-back-riding therapy. This fall, I learned that my poet friend,
Linda Konichek’s daughter, Wendy, had just merged her farm with her
mother’s farm in Eagle, and she was interested in giving therapeutic
riding lessons to people with special needs.
Given that
Brindley’s current home therapist had extensive experience with riding
therapy and children with special needs, Liz Partridge was thrilled to
be a part of this, too. And together, Liz and Wendy teamed up to
give it a try with Brindley.
Wendy sums up her
philosophy of therapeutic riding for special needs riders, “Such riders
may face unusual challenges in their daily lives, but that should not
stop them from becoming empowered at whatever they choose in life.”
Brindley, who is now
ten, has severe autism and limited speech. It was my hope that riding a
horse would motivate Brindley to speak more, learn new responsibilities,
and practice some social skills. I had no doubt in my mind that this
would be an awesome experience for him, given the fact that the few
times he had been on a horse, his smile was always lit with a special
joy.
In preparing for our
first trip to Jericho Creek Farm, Liz wrote a social story for Brindley
that we read to him a few times, so that he knew what to expect from the
experience. This helped reduce Brindley’s anxiety, which often
accompanies his excitement.
Our first encounter
with Jericho Creek Farm was positive for all of us. Brindley always
loved farms, and upon arriving at Jericho , our hike to the barn
included Brindley’s noticing the horses that ventured out to the end of
their fences to see what was going on. Jericho has about thirty horses
that are spread out over the property. Wendy welcomed us into the barn
and introduced us to Chaheetah, a white and speckled Morab horse, with a
gentle disposition.
Liz showed Brindley
how to brush Chaheetah, and he got to know her a little before taking
his first ride. After some brushing, Brindley put on his helmet and
walked to the arena with Liz, Wendy and Chaheetah. My husband helped
Brindley on the horse, and the two of us watched while Liz and Wendy led
Chaheetah around the arena and taught Brindley the commands ,“Walk on!”
and “Whoa!” so he could learn how to make the horse go and stop. His
face was filled with happiness and pride.
Brindley has
completed four lessons now, and I can’t tell you, between the two of us,
who looks forward to the Thursday lessons more. Brindley has learned to
brush his horse, and to thank both Chaheetah and Wendy when the lessons
are done. He has learned to put the helmet and saddle away, and he
always gives Chaheetah a treat at the end of the lesson. Brin now
takes that responsibility one step further, by cutting the apples and
packing them for Chaheetah before we leave the house.
Brindley’s retention
of the new vocabulary he has learned has been one-hundred- percent.
Spontaneous language has occurred at the farm, not only concerning
Chaheetah, but also about the kittens who live in the barn. One day
Brindley indicated we should take one of the kittens home when he
spontaneously said, “ Orange cat, Mama home.” Brindley has initiated
conversations at school and on the bus about the “white horse,” and how
it is the day to “ride Chaheetah.” He has taken an interest in sharing
his new world with others and I can’t be more thrilled.
While there are many
more benefits than what I have mentioned, due to horse-back riding and
hippo therapy, I am very inspired by our experience, and the few things
that have been gained so far are only a glimpse on what is yet to come.
This experience has been an added blessing in our journey through the
world of autism, the world Brindley now rides through on the “white
horse” that will be teaching him many things. If you ever thought about
giving horses a try for any child, I encourage you to do so. The
animals God has created for us have the ability to touch hearts and
enhance lives. What a wonderful world, indeed! |
