Hippotherapy and Percussion

What a week! Transitioning the kids back to school after a break always makes for a long week. Add to that longer school days for Jake and a few extra activities made us all very happy to see the weekend.

Jake started hippotherapy (horse riding therapy) this past Monday. I've read so much about how it can help with many areas of recovery and was so excited to get a call in December that Praying Hands Ranch had an opening starting in January. It helps with bilateral strength and muscle tone, can improve neurological function as well as sensory processing. I was also interested to find out a horses gait is most like a humans and can help the rider feel the natural rhythm of walking and arm swing.  But most important, it's fun. Jake has never had an opportunity to ride a horse before and was a little nervous on the way there. We met his OT and the team that leads the horse and walks along side to keep him safe and then met his horse for the day. A red horse, named Blue, he got quite a kick out of that.

I was so proud watching him during his session. He did everything that was asked of him...riding forward, backward, sideways, doing push-ups while riding...he was such a trooper. His OT commented she hadn't seen anyone be so willing to try so many different things their first time out. I told her that is just who Jake is, he has a great attitude. The best part of the whole thing was on the way out the car when he said how much fun he had and couldn't wait to come back. He didn't even realize what an intense OT/PT session he had just had. 

The other fun thing that Jake got to do last week was start the Percussion Group at school. Last Spring, he was in the Percussion Group that the music teacher (Mr. C) offered after school and loved it. He really wanted to do it again this year and Mr. C wanted him to participate at well. Thursday was his first 5 1/2 hour day at school, then he stayed an extra hour for percussion. I was a little concerned about his long day but Jake was beaming when I picked him up. He was so happy to be in the group again and Mr. C said that on the parts where Jake couldn't keep up, he just adapted and it worked with the the music. Jake even practiced his piece over the weekend without being reminded. :-)

All in all it was a good week and we were happy to find some ways for Jake to get therapy that were also fun.