Horseback riding helps children with disabilities
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Timmy Langer, 6, of Irwin, pauses before cleaning the hooves of Buddy at Nickers 'n Neighs, a therapeutic riding center in Westmoreland County. Timmy, who has autism, learns to ride and take care of horses at the center, a nonprofit that uses horses to promote cognitive, social and emotional well-being for people who have disabilities. -
Abby Langer, 8, of Irwin rides on 6-year-old Starlight with help from Stacy Shirer, Pam Burkland and Jennifer Harbaugh at Nickers 'n Neighs.
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For some children and teens who have disabilities, the best part of their day is spent on a horse.
Kelly Jones of Jeannette has been bringing her son, Quinn Kopas, 8, to Nickers 'n Neighs, a nonprofit therapeutic riding center in Westmoreland County, for about a year. Quinn, who has Down syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder, rides once a week.
"There's a kind of calming factor for him," Ms. Jones said, adding that Quinn talks about the horses at home.
"It's something that engages him. I think he feels success doing it."
PG VIDEO: RIDING THERAPYQuinn's attention span and core strength have improved, Ms. Jones said.
"It's been a very positive experience," she said.
Therapeutic horseback riding has been around for decades, and experts and parents can provide anecdotal evidence for how it helps their patients and children with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.
Now, researchers at the University of Pittsburgh are trying to show definitively the benefits of equine-facilitated therapeutics.
Margo B. Holm, an occupational therapist, and Nancy Minshew, an autism researcher and neurologist, have teamed up to study the therapy and how it can benefit children with disabilities.
When the study began, Ms. Holm was skeptical.
"Everything in my mind was that this was a bit of hocus-pocus," she said. "I no longer believe that after watching and seeing the changes."
The initial study is small - three boys between the ages of 6 and 8, all of whom have autism spectrum disorders. The study is being conducted at Nickers 'n Neighs in Donegal Township.
Ms. Holm, who specializes in "single-subject research design," said she's trying to unearth whether the frequency of therapeutic horseback riding lessons makes a difference when incorporating riding into a child's other activities.
"What if there was a summer program for children with autism that would be offered at the end of the extended school year? ... Should it be once a week, three times a week or five times a week?" she said.
Nonprofit therapeutic riding centers are seeking donations and volunteers. For more information:
Nickers 'n Neighs
260 Mountain Trails Lane
Acme, PA 15601
724-771-1966 or 724-593-8121 Web: www.kidsonhorses.org
Riding for the Handicapped of Western Pennsylvania Inc.
First Published August 4, 2011 12:00 am
