Horse Therapy - Hearts and Hooves

Our first day back

Mounted and ready to ride

Done riding and helping Ms Bevy put the gator away.

4 wheeler with Braden's new friend - Sasha

This was back in the day - Braden was around 3 in this picture.

This was one of our very first trips out - look how young Braden looks!

Brushing horses can be very therapeutic. Braden was around 3 in this picture.

History repeats itself and I so firmly believe! It seems that after every Christmas break, Braden has what I call a "honeymoon" period back in school that lasts about a week. But...remember that nursery rhyme that goes "There once was a girl who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead. And when she was good, she was very good, but when she was bad, she was horrid!" Well, superimpose she for he! The first week back from Christmas break was great, but then we crashed the second week. I ended up shadowing Braden for one whole week and then reducing the next week by an hour each day. We racked our brains trying to figure out what the issue was. While we can pin it down to medicine now (which since has been successfully adjusted) we also think it has to do with seasonal changes. Winter seems to be very hard for Braden and this realization sent me running to find some sensory activities for him. Enter weekly swimming lessons and a return to horse therapy.

I am very lucky that I worked with a wonderful EC teacher, Beverly Phillips, at Tryon who has background in horse therapy and a program called Hearts and Hooves. I know that at least every Tuesday, Bev loads up her horses and travels to a school and works with special needs students through therapy. While she does not travel to our school, we do travel to her farm every Thursday now for Braden to ride and try to meet some of those sensory needs. This is actually a return for us. Braden had been to Bev's farm before, when he was around 3. He rode horses, but also got to run around and ride the Gator and the 4- wheeler. He loved it there, which I find kind of funny since he is not an animal person (see previous posts about trips to zoos!)

Well, we're back! Can I just say that I love Bev! She's fun, energetic, patient, loving, but does not take "crap" from bossy little 5 year olds :) She is wonderful with Braden. She makes him listen, interact, helps him to build core muscles, and helps him learn! And that is what is so great about our return - he is learning. He's now at an age where he can learn about taking care of horses, how to brush them, how to tack them, and how to steer them! He is so excited to learn how to steer them, like he's driving a car. This was a new step for us last week. We worked in the ring, moving flags from cone to cone, which Braden loved. But then...Bev told him it was time to learn how to steer the horse. The excitement on his face was so evident! He could not stop smiling!
He has also made a new friend at the farm. Her name is Sasha and she is a very young Golden Retriever. She loves Braden! Normally, Braden is not a dog lover. He loves our dogs, but our dogs know and understand Braden. They know there is no licking (keep those tongues to yourselves dogs!) and no jumping. He loves to chase them and loves it when they chase him, but keep your paws off! Sasha has learned all of this quickly. She knows that he loves to chase or be chased and if she brings him a stick, he will throw it for her. She runs to greet us when we pull in and she loves to keep Braden occupied until it's time to tack up and head out.

Thursdays have become a pleasure for us. Sensory needs are met, Braden can run off all of his energy and I can chat and catch up with another adult and wonderful friend! Thanks Bev - you are a gift to us!