| Horse therapy as a therapy model for autistic children | | | | Some autistic children are looking to be reached while |
| is now a topic of debate. For clinically disposed | | | | others are not. The right child paired with the right |
| experts, horse therapy does nothing more than | | | | horse is the magic combination, according to those |
| introduce an additional stimulus into the mix. There are | | | | who have successfully helped autistic children |
| others who believe that with proper training, horse | | | | communicate and reach out through horses. |
| therapy holds great potential in treating autism. | | | | Hopes, Dreams, and Realism |
| Parents of autistic children have had many therapies | | | | Many therapies that come along in hopes of helping |
| and medications tossed their way, with hopes of | | | | autistic and otherwise disabled children, all of which are |
| reaching their children on a whole new level. Many | | | | heavily publicized and turned into the media spectacle |
| parents are now looking after the potential of | | | | of new hope and promise. Those who have received |
| alternative methods for their children's condition despite | | | | proper training and have participated in case studies |
| all the promises of many therapies and medications. | | | | want parents to completely understand that horses |
| Even though the autistic aware community has | | | | are incredibly sensitive and can possibly stimulate a |
| become increasingly focused on horse therapy, this is | | | | child's communication skills; thus because of this horse |
| still considered a new but promising therapy model for | | | | therapy has intentionally stayed as far from the media |
| children with all type of disabilities especially autism. | | | | spotlight. But just like all other therapies and treatments, |
| Horses are of course majestic animals that carry with | | | | especially those that are experimental, horses have |
| them a fabulous tale of potential, wonder, and amazing | | | | shown great promise and have reached a few |
| feats. However, their new role as a therapy model for | | | | hundred children in ways that their parents and other |
| autistic children has come under great scrutiny from | | | | experts have not been able to. However, not every |
| some more clinically disposed experts. Most physicians, | | | | disabled child will look toward a horse just as not |
| psychiatrists, and other experts believe that horse | | | | every disabled child will respond the same way |
| therapy only introduce an additional stimulus into the | | | | toward medication and other therapies. |
| mix. There are others who believe that horse therapy | | | | Not Just Any Trainer |
| holds great potential for those well trained and great | | | | The neighbor down the road who owns a horse or |
| potential for failure for those who believe they can just | | | | that farm that you pass on the way to the beach that |
| stick an autistic child and a horse in the same area and | | | | has horses running around is not likely to be the place |
| wait for a miracle. | | | | to introduce a disabled child to the horse. Horses that |
| The Horse Communicator | | | | have proven to work effectively with disabled children |
| There have been movies made and books written | | | | have undergone some amount of training to help make |
| about the possibilities horse therapies present. In fact, | | | | them less intimidating. The trainers have gone through |
| some of the great myths and legends of Native | | | | extensive training in order to understand how |
| American origin include horses that can ultimately | | | | previously successful sessions have worked. Parents |
| reach the unreachable, guide the blind and grace the | | | | should be strongly cautioned against anyone making |
| deaf. These myths and legends make fantastic movie | | | | significant claims, advertising the services of their |
| material, but those with disabled children live in the real | | | | horse, or anyone offering to treat the child that offers |
| world. Is it possible that a horse can help bring a child to | | | | up no credible form of proof of education and |
| a new level of communication? Of course it is. Those | | | | certification. People will prey on the desperate, and |
| who have experienced success state rather | | | | horse therapy is no different. The right trainer and the |
| emphatically that the therapy is not for all autistic | | | | right horse are strictly required in order to involve a |
| children or all horses. Just like people, dogs, and cats, | | | | disabled child in horse therapy. |
| some horses have a higher degree of sensitivity. | | | | |