We all know that horses are beautiful animals and that horseback riding can be a fun, adventurous activity to take part in, but did you know that horses are actually great for therapy with kids that have Autism? Well, they are! Horse therapy, or Equine therapy, is a wonderful activity that has been proven as a phenomenal tool for kids with autism.
Equine Therapy for Kids with Autism
Learn How to Nurture an Emotional Bond
One common character trait of children with autism, is that they often experience difficulty in bonding with other people because of their difficulty with traditional methods of communication. Many autistic children struggle with verbal development and eye contact and other ways that people use to bond with each other. With Equine therapy, since the children are working with horses who interact in a purely physical manner, they are able to learn other ways to connect, create, and nurture bonds.
Language & Cognitive Development
As previously noted, many children on the autism spectrum struggle with language and cognitive development and Equine therapy can be a huge help to that. In Equine therapy exercises, children are able to give horses verbal direction without the pressure of engaging in conversation. This allows kids to be able to develop language and cognitive skills while having a ton of fun!
Calming and Soothing Effects
In addition to learning how to nurture and emotional bond and developing language and cognitive skills, Equine therapy also can be very soothing and calming for autistic children that may experience high anxiety or frequent tantrums.
For more information about Equine therapy and different places that you can participate check out the Autism Spectrum Disorder Foundation website.
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