May 9, 2010
“Briana, 6, is autistic. She uses signs to communicate. She has seen several occupational and speech therapists since the age of 2, and each time she meets with a new therapist, she has major meltdowns, that is, until she came to NCTRC. So many things have happened there that have blown me away. On her first day in class, for example, Briana touched her horse's nose. This astonished me. It may not seem like a major victory. But it was very significant. She was connecting, for the first time, to an animal. She has never done this with other animals even the two dogs we have at home. By the third class, Briana signed AND said the word “go” to her horse. I couldn’t believe it, she was talking! She just glowed and giggled with pride.
The movement of the horse seems to regulate her in a way that she can focus on talking to her horse. She is doing the tasks required of her by Margie Muenzer, her physical therapist, and she is doing them without any temper tantrums. She is not experiencing any behavioral issues she ordinarily would in a traditional therapeutic setting. She is a different child on a horse.” ----- Trica Wildman, Briana's mother
Briana’s progress can be attributed to her parents and the help of so many dedicated supporters, volunteers and professionals within the NCTRC community and beyond. Your involvement and gifts have made this possible for Briana and other children to help them reach their optimal growth. ---- Sarah Shapard, Executive Director
Note: The results of 2008 study "The Effects of Equine-Assisted Activities on the Social Functioning of Children with Autism," has found that using horses as the motivating nexus of a treatment plan is very effective for children with autism spectrum disorders. Funded by the Horses & Human Foundation, the study noted that they "improved in critical areas such as sensory seeking, emotional reactive, inattention and distractibility and sensory sensitivity. They also demonstrated improved cognition, communication as well as motivation following the intervention." The full report is posted at www.horsesandhumans.org.
