Ellie is a sharp, beautiful young lady who was born with Spina bifida. Although she uses a wheelchair it is a goal to someday walk. Because she falls forward, even in the wheelchair, we need to work on maintaining posture. So much of this does require physical strength, but we also focus on boosting her confidence…a very potent ingredient she will need in her journey of learning to walk. Be sure to watch the whole video, seeing her transformation from being hesitant to proud of herself is what this work is all about!
Although Jake is non verbal, his mother is wonderful with helping him learn to communicate. Knowing he loves Melo is so heartwarming, and a great reason to practice sign language!
Jake was diagnosed with both CP and is on the autism spectrum. Sitting up on his own is imperative for his independence. Listen to what his mother says at the end of the video! For reference, in past lessons, we always lifted Jakes weight up. He is starting to gain core muscle now!
Ellie and Melo. We find it important for the students to have relationships with the horses. If the student simply gets on and off the horse not forming a bond, the horse can become just of a tool for therapy. With interaction like this, the horse becomes their friend, they grow to trust the horse which makes the entire session run more smoothly. Not to mention, being kissed by a horse is therapy too!
Ari, diagnosed with CP, was in need of stretching out her back. Laying on the horses back is something we practice often. This simple yet effective routine is practiced with many of our students. Although it looks passive, the core and legs are engaged for balance as the shoulders and back are opened. Once the horse walks, most riders are put in a meditative state, allowing an incredible amount of relief and instant relaxation is so necessary. Oftentimes it the most requested exercise of the lesson!
Shana, diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum, came to us with issues of posture and core strength. We also work on focus and taking direction. Her posture has dramatically improved not only during lessons but in the classroom and at home. Her focusing skills are sharpening as well.
Flashback to one of Rileys first sessions, 18 months old
Such a great day meeting so many wonderful people at the Quantum House!
Fierce is right! This kids middle name is fierce.
Rileys Doctors thought she would never walk, let alone sit up on her own. When she began therapeutic riding, her whole world changed. Her mother noticed immediate improvement in both her cognitive and physical motor skills.
Flashback to the day we met our sweet ‘81’. He had just survived Hurricane Irma and was trailered to us for a severe case of Pythiosis on this hind leg. We still did not have power or water at our barn from the hurricane either but said to bring him anyway. This is a video bathing him near our house. He was in shock and he was exhausted. He rested his mussel on my neck, putting so much weight on me. I just held him up and massaged his perfect little face. We have been best friends ever since.
These amazing young ladies (and twins) have been riding with us since they were three!
What a special day!
*Long Post* What an amazing lesson. This child is just brilliant, her mind is constantly churning ideas, thinking, asking questions and pointing out things to you she is excited about. She wants to share with you all she loves and she wants you to share with her, her love of communication is heartwarming. It’s beautiful. However, in the classroom setting and other areas in her life, focusing is important and yet for her it is hard. Over the years she continues to try; she tries with all her heart.
This lesson, I took a new approach. We left the ring. We left the cones. We left our normal routine. A typical lesson, we choose two things to work on. For her, she always chooses ‘Posture’ and ‘Focus’. I generally let her continue to choose these because she continues to need to work on them. An exercise example would be weaving in and out of a long line of cones. The goal would be to not talk and focus on steering the horse independently until the end, if she accomplished this, she would be able to take a stuffed animal of her choice with her for a ride…which she LOVES. She would try, so hard. Words cannot describe how I saw this child struggling to keep her thoughts and words in. Sometimes she would, but at the end of the cones, the words would just spill out of her mouth as if her thoughts were being collected in there the whole time.
So we left the ring. I stopped the horse and asked her, “Can you feel your thoughts? Where do you feel your words?” She took a minute and tapped her head. I told her, “I know you love to tell me and Mommy everything. But would you like if it were quiet?” She said she didn’t know. I asked if she would let me help her try. She responded “We can try.” We walked down our drive way, lined with shady oak trees, the morning birds still singing. I asked her “Can you close your eyes and count to three?” (We count with each step the horse takes). We progressed to ten. I then asked her to tell me what she heard. “BIRDS!” Eyes flew open and she pointed in the direction. I asked her to again close her eyes and just listen to the birds. After several tries we were back to ten, listening to birds…but I could see her little head searching for the sound with her eyes closed.
I then asked her to listen for her horses hooves. The pony was wearing shoes and made the perfect ‘clip clop’. I said, “In your head, just be happy listening to the birds and Melos feet.” Her eyes were closed and all of the sudden her entire body relaxed. (There were 2 side walkers and leader, so she wasn’t in danger of falling) Her neck relaxed, head just tilted and started bobbing to the beat of the horses with the natural rhythm of his stride. I signaled to everyone to not make a peep. She stayed in this rhythmic meditative state for almost 15 minutes. When the birds sang, she grinned, took deep breaths and for once…the child was at peace. I looked back at her mother who follows behind the pony and tears were streaming down her face.
When let her stay in this state back to the barn and when I told her she could open her eyes, I asked very quietly “How do you feel?” she whispered slowly “I am so happy Ms Brittany”. I gently pulled her off the horses back and placed her at Melos side, she always hugs him quickly before running off. This time when I placed her by his side, she placed her hands between her face and his belly and just breathed in unison with him.
The power that nature has can never be underestimated. She didn’t need more structure to help her focus. It was too forceful. She needed guidance letting go, and the beat of Melos hooves seemed to match her heart that day.
Her mother texted a couple days later a photo of her standing out in the driveway, hands by her side, eyes closed and head tilted back. The text read: “She’s listening to the birds.”
Riley sat up on her own! Little Miss Riley was born with a rare genetic disorder that led doctors to believe she may never sit up or walk on her own. While she is still non verbal, she is full of personality and her determination does not go unnoticed. When I met Riley at 18 months she still wasn’t sitting up, let alone able to lift her head, it was almost to the point of her chin on her neck with severe tightness. After a couple hippo therapy sessions her mother began texting videos of her trying to sit and eventually stand; her motor skills were improving in ways she had never seen before. (Her mother is her number 1 supporter and encourages her to push herself in the most loving way possible.) For the last year we had walked along side her, adjusting her posture and conducting various exercises- but always holding her. This day, I wanted to see how much she could do on her own and was blown away. She rarely rested her weight on me as I kept my arms around her but not touching her, allowing her to do all the work and show us just how far she’s come. Super day.
*Hippotherapy (derived from the greek word ‘hippos’, meaning horse) uses equine rhythmic movement to help individuals with a variety of neurological disorders. The patient doesn’t actively control the horse, but rather passively influenced neuro-physiologically by the horses movement while riding.
Summer Throwback!!
Abby is moving to Oklahoma! With 2 hours to spare until they hit the road, we decided she needed a FL farewell adventure. What better way than swimming with a pony!
What a day!
Zoie is not just the barn cat. If you have been to our facility you have most likely been greeted by her. But she is also our supervisor and the horses supervisor. She always has eyes on us.
well the video cuts off, but she did it! All smiles, such strong little lady
Somedays Luke does not want to ride. Here at HDH we believe therapy comes in many forms. For Luke to communicate with me, interact with me and learn to even take the slightest advice on how to spray the water from the hose was a major stride. For children on the Autism Spectrum, basic human interaction can be difficult. New environments, new people and sensories can become challenging for them. We make the best out of every situation, involving the horse, involving fun and involving the goals specific to each child. Luke interacted with Oreo and myself for the entire 30 minute session this day. It was wonderful.
The joy from an awesome ride!
Rescue Mustang, Therapy Horse and as I tell her everyday ‘The Most Gorgeous’
Cayden uses an oxygen tank to help him breath, even while riding (a little backpack tank). I had been noticing his upper back and shoulder area was rock hard. We were able to remove the tank if he took it easy and worked on range of motion from the moment he mounted Melo. What I didn’t get photos of this day was the following:
Often I have children lay down on the horses back. It takes not only a lot of physical core strength to lower yourself but also engaging leg muscle. Cayden always wears a shirt that says #fierce, he is full of fierce attitude, wit and charm. That being said, I was surprised when I asked him to lay back he began to cry. He rarely is confronted with the emotion, fear. It was something new to work through- and that we did! It was a whole new lesson of trust, trusting me and the horse. Once we worked through the tears and he found he trusted us…he was able to rest on the horses back. What this allowed was his shoulders to open up in a way they never do. I expected him to pop right back up after being there .2 seconds but he stayed. His arms opened (lowering on the sides of the horse). His chatter stopped. He stared up into the pine trees. I looked at his mom who was now covering her hands to her mouth. He just rested like this and the weight that he always carried was lifted, the strain that constantly tightened his muscles on him was eased. I asked quietly, one arm resting under his relaxed neck and the other on his deep breathing tummy, ‘how do you feel’? He said super slowly, exhaling after each word, “I____feel____g r e a t.” and continued resting, opening up those shoulders and being in peace with that until he was ready to sit up. It was an amazing day.
The following week his mother mentioned his physical therapist noticed a change in his upper body. We continued with the exercise there after.
Abby has been 81’s special advisor ever since his surgery. She also uses a prosthetic and has been there to support him every step of the way. And they are both redheads…so it really doesn’t get much cuter!
The day Abby met 81 at the clinic after his surgery. She was the first friend he had who also wore a prosthetic.
Cosmo was taken in as a rescue with severe fear issues. We rehabilitate horses with these (likely human) traumas using natural horseman techniques like this one called ‘joining up’.
Olivia wanted to trot Lakota this day. The volunteers work so hard to hold her up. But she works even harder than us all. When I hesitated and got the nod from the volunteers she looked down at me and said ‘Ms Brittany I don’t know what you’re scared of’. She was right. She has worked years to be strong and confident and with the volunteer side walkers (trotters) she is safe. She did beautifully trotting that day, my heart was so proud of the confidence in herself it could have burst.
20 years of friendship
