Equines helping with Autism

Funkyfilly024

Funkyfilly024

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Basically, a close relatives son is showing a lot of the signs, he is 4 and refuses to talk amongst other signs, but they desperatley want him to start communicating.
I wont go into detail as to be honest I havnt pushed talking about the issue and I know they are already receiving some help.

Allthough I do not wish to pry, being my relatives and with my experience with horses, I would love to look into how horse therapy and riding or caring for horses may help and encourage him as I have heard that it can be hugley beneficial.

Can anyone share their stories/experiences on how horses can help autistic children?
And would he qualify with joining an RDA group?
 
those on the autistic spectrum do indeed often benefit from working with animals and do indeed often come to rda. Once the lad you are talking about starts school he may well have that option through the school

Taz is not an RDA horse but we do have visitors several of whom have quite a few problems associated with autism and the horses seem to recognise this and react accordingly.

One lad who visits has such problems he needs to have two support staff with him but when he is with Taz they can step back and he will brush her and lead her around for hours he is just soooo relaxed and happy. We are going to start doing horse agility too with him.


Haviing said that people with autism are just like us, some like animals some dont ;)


If you google "equine assisted learning" it will tell you a lot about the theraputic values of horses working with people with all sorts problems / issues
 
Have you read The Horse Boy? It's about a family's journey to help their autistic son and they have set up some kind of training but possibly just in the USA. Interesting anyway.

My autistic step son has been to RDA with his school and whilst he enjoys riding, he's not bothered if he doesn't and I wouldn't say it has had much effect on his behaviour. Any attempts to involve him with my horse have led to him turning his nose up at the smell of the stables!!!
 
My son isn't helped by horses. He was helped by a talking computer.

Autistic people are like tuning a radio. It's all in there, but you have to find the right frequency to get it out.

If your nephew doesnt have a diagnosis you MUST push and nag until he gets one. If they don't get a diagnosis early, the professionals become reluctant as they get older and it leads to huge problems in getting help and support when they need it. Many teenagers are left dangling and alone.
 
My son got a kid's talking computer as a Christmas present (£25) and it started him talking at 3

It was worth it's weight in gold.

4 years old was his worst age! He is 14 now and (with the help of an amazing special school) he is looking at doing well in GCSEs! It feels like winning the lottery to hear that.
 
We have a pony for my Autistic brother (4). It's going really well so far :) Horse Boy have workshops in the UK and residential camps it'd be ace to go to one with them both when they're a little older. It's not exactly done much for his interaction with people but physically he's coming on in leaps and bounds and it gives him a friend and also an "in" with kids his age. We are being mindful of the hypermobility that comes with the condition though and I'm thinking I might have to teach the pony neck reining as he can't handle the reins well at all, he can't hold pens either. Take him along and see how it goes, as other people have mentioned they all have their own niches. Computers are very important to my brother too. He can't write but he can type. :)
 
At one yard I was on I had my horse tied up outside his stable. He's quite a feisty horse, can be a bit of a handful at times & have to keep an eye on him.

Anyway I turned my back for a second & a young autistic lad, I suppose aged around 5/6 years, son of a liveries friend, ran over & threw his arms around my horse & was shouting....... My horse didn't move a muscle, he just turned his head down to the lad & allowed him to stroke him. I watched, being ready to pull the lad away but my horse just stood there, was golden & allowed the lad to shout & fuss him really quite roughly.

The lad then wandered off. I don't know if I am right about the event but it seemed that the horse knew that the lad was different from others & that he was no threat to him so he allowed the lad to play with him. I could be completely wrong, but I've never forgotten the incident.
 
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