Saturday, May 1, 2010

Olivia Riding Backwards

Olivia is doing a therapeutic horseback riding program now until the fall to help meet her sensory needs. (She has sensory integration dysfunction.)

This is one of the warm-up exercises that the children did. They also play games; learn to guide their horses through cones, over obstacles; gain skills in walking and trotting their horses; and (hopefully later this summer) jumping.

Therapeutic horseback riding has been so beneficial for both Olivia and Sophia - building their core muscle strength, improving their posture and balance, and communication skills. There are probably a host of other benefits that I don't see, but are there each week for the girls when they enter the ring with their therapy horse.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

How wonderful that you are doing this for your little ones. I to have read so much about how horses benefit children in this way. If you can do take a look at my little boys videos with their ponies,, http://www.earthboysblog.com/?page_id=376
and the relationships that are formed between horse and human,, amazing. They are my passion.