Horses And
Children With Special Needs
by Greg Lucas
I want a pony. That simple sentence has been uttered from many children's
lips over the years. A horse can be a great pet for a child. They learn
about love, companionship, nurturing, relationships, and responsibility from
owning their own pony or horse.
But no children benefit more from
horses than those with special needs. Different types of needs are dealt
with in different ways with horses and children.
One of the ways that horses
benefit these special needs children is called Hippotherapy. According to
medical experts "Hippotherapy is a physical, occupational and speech therapy
treatment strategy that utilizes equine movement. Hippotherapy is utilized
as part of an integrated treatment program to achieve functional outcomes."
"In Hippotherapy, the patient
engages in activities on the horse that are enjoyable and challenging.
Specific riding skills are not taught, but rather a foundation is
established to improve neurological function and sensory processing."
Children with "improved sensory
processing", a disease which causes extreme discomfort to all five senses
can learn to cope through interaction with horses. Children with cerebral
palsy can learn to deal with their physical challenges through horseback
riding as well.
Children who have physical
disabilities benefit from mounting and riding horses because it stretches
their muscles and has been known to improve posture dramatically. Riding a
horse actually simulates the action of walking, so children who cannot walk
on their own gain the benefits of walking by riding a horse.
Children benefit in other ways
as well. The simple acts of washing and grooming a horse can be therapeutic.
It can also tech them motor skills, social skills, and responsibility. A
child learns that their horse needs their care as much as they need the care
the horses can give them.
If your child has visual
problems, hearing problems, physical or even emotion and mental issues,
consider the therapeutic benefits of a program that uses horses to help
children with these special needs. If you know of a program that does this
in your area, please support them generously. These children need the
programs that allow them to interact and learn with horses.
The skills they obtain benefit
them throughout their entire life. It improves their quality of life as a
child as they lean to be more confident, learn motor skills, and learn how
to move their body through space. The latter can lead to participation in
other extracurricular activities your child needs.
All of this leads to better
social skills and behavior as well as improving their lack of self-esteem
because of their inability to do certain things. It shows them what they CAN
do, rather than what they cannot do.
I hope this article encourages
you to get your child enrolled in a program that allows them to be around
horses. Even if your child has no special needs or disabilities, the benefit
of learning the skills of horseback riding and the care of horses is
irreplaceable. Some say man's best friend is a dog. I know horses would
disagree.
About the Author
All about horses and how to
care for them plus free horse classifieds for anyone looking to buy or sell
a horse. Please visit: Horse
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