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Equestrian Therapy
| Article
# : |
16659 |
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Section : |
LIFE
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| Issue
Date : |
10 / 1989 |
2,531 Words |
| Author
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Denise Tomey
Denise Tomey is a writer who lives in Saugus, California. |
Coming down the dirt path of Del Arroyo Drive, a visitor might see a child standing on horseback--an event he probably won't find so remarkable in itself--until, upon drawing closer, he notices that same child's wheelchair or crutches strewn nearby.
Sycamore trees and wildflowers line the horse trails that lead high into the Santa Monica mountains. When the sun goes down, only moonlight shines on the forty-three acres of land that holds more than twenty horses, fifteen cats, and three dogs. When the sun comes up, however, this serene spot becomes a place where therapy holds a new meaning for hundreds of multiply handicapped children who are moving "Ahead with Horses."
Developed nearly twenty years ago, Ahead--Accelerated Habilitation, Education, and Development--with Horses, Inc., is a not-for-profit organization using vaulting (gymnastics on a moving horse) as therapy for even the most severely handicapped. Clients range from a three-month-old with Down's syndrome to an 85-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease. Most clients, however, are children who have not responded to traditional forms of therapy.
Liz Helms, director and founder of the program, believes that it is the horse's movement that changes the brain, which in turn changes the body and the individual's ability to integrate and process sensory input. She explains that the children have fun and experience a sense of success while facing real challenges.
A Success Story
Only the children's
... (1999 of 15064 Characters)
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