 Being an Equine Specialist for the Papillion Center for FASD has changed my life in the best way. I got certified through EAGALA in 2010. However, it wasn’t until 2011 that we got a horse. In one trip we actually ended up with two horses. A Thoroughbred retired race horse that had been abused, neglected and abused again. And then there was a family Quarter-horse who was Alfa on his land. So we took the lowest of the low and the highest of the high of these horses and put them together. What an event that turned out to be! They had to learn to count on each other.   Clients came and connected to these horses instantly. They would see the scars from the abuse on the Thoroughbred, and they would connect. We use horses not only because they connect with us, but because they mirror human emotions. It’s much easier for a client to see these emotions within the horse instead of themselves, even though the horse is just picking up on what they are feeling! With the Equine Therapy program we have made movement in three sessions that we might get in 6-9 months of regular talk therapy. We relate, connect, reflect to how this plays out in their life. We can watch a horse “box” someone in and ask them if they feel trapped in their life? They build obstacles and name them things like “bullying” “communication” or “loss.”   Then they try...

Equine therapy helps clients at Papillion Center for FASD heal faster by connecting with horses that mirror human emotions.

Equine Therapy: Connecting Through Emotions

 Canine Companions for Independence is a national nonprofit organization that provides assistance dogs for people with disabilities completely free of charge. Canine Companions serves adults and children with a wide range of physical and developmental disabilities, with over 3,800 assistance dogs placed nationwide since its founding in 1975. Many of Canine Companions’ clients are children with developmental challenges like autism and Down syndrome. The dogs are trained to work with children over age five, under the guidance of a facilitator (parent or caregiver). Parents value their children’s assistance dogs for the social, developmental and motivational benefits they provide. First, Canine Companions assistance dogs serve as a social bridge by encouraging interaction for children who may have difficulty communicating with or being approached by others. Ellen, the mother of a young man with Fragile X Syndrome, explains, “Daniel has autistic-like traits that cause over-shyness at times. I’ve noticed that Assistance Dog Cheers has helped bring Daniel out of his shell. He’s more confident!” Dayna, whose child is dually diagnosed with autism and Down Syndrome, agrees wholeheartedly. “Before Assistance Dog Rama, people did not really approach Micah or speak to him. Now, people ask about Rama. Micah has more confidence in public and he loves to show off his assistance dog!” These newfound social interactions also create opportunities for children to work on their speech. “At first, we gave Kailen, who has autism, scripted things to say about Assistance Dog Aqua,” Kailen’s mother, Lynda, says. “The words are now slowly becoming...

Nonprofit Canine Companions offers free assistance dogs to people with disabilities, aiding in social interaction and confidence.

Canine Companions Provide Four-Legged Friends

 Many parents are given discouraging news about their children with disabilities — this prognosis gives little hope to parents of these children, which is an unfair and negative situation. There are therapies many parents have never heard of, including equine therapy.   While every child will respond differently to various therapies, equine therapy has demonstrated success in helping children with Rett Syndrome learn how to sit up on their own or encouraging children with cerebral palsy to walk.   In equine therapy, children learn how to ride horses. This activity helps develop muscle tone, balance, motor skills, focus, and coordination. It is similar to physical therapy in its goals and the skills it helps create or develop, but it provides the child with a therapy in a comforting and even enjoyable atmosphere — and that’s why it works.   In addition to learning to ride horses, children are given instruction on grooming, which promotes caring for other living things with problem-solving activities. Equine therapy also promotes personal growth and stress reduction. The self-confidence gained from equine therapy is something that translates to other areas of the child’s life.   Equine therapy has proven success with children and adult with emotional or developmental disorders. The use of horses for therapy likely started as early as the times of the Ancient Greeks, as horses were not merely used for riding, but they also served as a means for physical and mental well-being. In 1952, Liz Hartel won...

Equine therapy helps children with disabilities gain muscle tone, balance, and self-confidence through horse riding and care.

What is Equine Therapy?

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Special Needs
Articles

Equine Therapy: Connecting Through Emotions

Canine Companions Provide Four-Legged Friends

What is Equine Therapy?

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs Articles

Equine Therapy: Connecting Through Emotions

Canine Companions Provide Four-Legged Friends

What is Equine Therapy?

Find Providers Near You

Special Needs
Articles