Hippotherapy/Therapeutic Riding-- Asa's report

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone!

I know I mentioned that Asa was going to start with this a couple of weeks

ago, so I just wanted to be sure to post my reactions to how it's going etc.

So far we've had 2 sessions so far. We're under the " Therapeutic Riding "

right now, waiting to get into the Hippotherapy Sessions (they don't have any

space for him yet) when he'll be doing Speech with an SLP on Horseback.

Now-- the cost of these things differs. Hippotherapy is more costly with

the costs just going up due to the raised cost in the horses' food upkeep and

trucking expenses etc. The first visit will be a whopping $200 and every

session therafter will be $100. Now keep in mind that it's a private therapy

session with an SLP who is knowledgeable with Apraxia, so considering that---

it's the same cost as our 1 hr session with our private SLP here at home.

The Therapeutic Riding, however, is only $60 per 30 min session. When I sit

and think of the cost of that in comparison to the majority of other things

out there-- I feel that this is definitely Do-able.

So-- I was a little concerned that he would have some hesitancy with getting

around the horse. That concern wasn't founded-- he was TOTALLY in love with

the horse and got on without hesitation whatsoever. It was amazing! When he

got on horseback-- all I can say, is that for GLOBAL APRAXICS-- this has got

to be one of the best things out there that will work!!! Truly-- it was like

you gave the child his pair of legs to move with! He had confidence and

mobility and it was just working!

They had him doing things like sitting up as they walked the horse around--

and putting his hands on top of his head to the count of 10 or 20 or as long

as he could do it, and this feat alone is VERY difficult for him since the

balance of being on horseback is more difficult than just being on the ground.

But he did it! He sat so perfectly upright in the saddle and the trunk control

was just amazing. Truly-- if I could just have heard about it before I

don't know if I would have believed it-- but I SAW it with my own eyes-- and

it's just blowing me away.

For some reason- this is really something that I see that will work very

well!

Janice-- you were RIGHT! :-) LOL Never doubted you for a second, by the

way-- but I just wanted to say that publicly. Girl-- you know your stuff!

The more experts I talk to about the Therapeutic Riding, the more are

telling me how beneficial that it truly is, and they are THRILLED that I made

the

move on my own to get this for Asa. I wish I could tell you all-- if I could

afford to do this EVERY DAY, I would! I know that it might take longer only

going 1x wk, but it will help eventually, and I can see it already-- so we'll

just do what we can for now. And again-- the cost, considering what other

things out there cost-- is affordable.

I know that some people have debated Hippotherapy-- and while I can see that

for the typical Apraxic child that has only the Apraxia of speech-- it's not

something that I would put on the top of my list of Therapies to add, but I

must tell you, for those who have GLOBAL APRAXIA/DYSPRAXIA like my son, and

like Janice's Mark, it's a NECESSITY, I believe! Just in going to two

sessions, I can see that!!!! It's definitely on the top of my therapy To-Do

Lists, that's for sure!

Anyway- just wanted to share-- I knew you'd all love the good report!

becky

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