ASD improvements thru horseriding - Saturday telegraph

[improvingslowly]

Interesting article in Sat telegraph yesterday about young boy with ASD. Went horseriding a bit, then went to Mongolia horseriding, parents saw big improvement in him after this. Temple Grandin (Prof of animal science who is autistic) thought might be the continual working to keep balance on horse had improved receptors in brain. Book and film made 'The Horse boy: A father's miraculous journey to heal his son'. Parents careful to say not a cure but has helped a lot...

Does seem to link in with people ASD having difficulties with vestibular and proprioception

www.telegraph.co.uk/outdoors

It's a great book.

That's good news as horseriding is on the curriculum at the school DS1 might go to. The author of the book was interviewed on Radio's 4 Midweek program and he seems like an interesting character.

article has link to riding for disabled which sounds v interesting.

Hmm, Riding for the Disabled are being a bit elusive at the moment. I'd asked them about current provision for autism, and they haven't replied as yet. They certainly do some, but not sure what age range really. When I used them it was more for arthritis than the ASD.

I find horses very, very therapeutic. They make more sense to me than people do, for a start

If we find out more (and actually try it), i wil write on here...

Ds (9) enjoyed horse riding (after a slow start)and it seemed to benefit all sorts of skills. I was seriously worried he would fall off the horse as his concentration is so fleeting but it gradually improved - there was a young lad with the horse at all times. Ds seems to have matured a lot this last year - his movements are less jerky, (and he walks into things less often) he can 'chat' and he has started drawing recognisable things!! Ofcourse he has also had the benefit of a wonderful sn school! Our local ASD/ADHD support group organised an introductory course (with lottery funding)at a local riding school, and ds carried on (with generous help from DGPs) till it got too cold and dark! We hope to start again now the evenings are lighter and his school (sn) take the year5+6.

I've never got very far with RDA for autism, they didn't reply. They seem more geared up for PD's tbh - however ds1's school does go to a local RDA in the seniors so he'll do it then. Currently he goes donkey riding with school every other week with the Elizabeth Svenson trust which he loves. A friend has some horses and we're going to try him with those over the holidays- will be ideal tbh- and better for him than having to turn up at a certain time be in a group etc etc.

Meant to say the riding school is close to a sn school (not ds school) and provides lessons for some of their children so have suitable experience and understanding. Finding out which riding schools are used by sn schools may be a good starting point to finding a suitable school if finances allow.

My ds is due to go horse-riding in the Easter holidays but I've really got no idea how he'll react....the closest he's ever come to horses thus far is chasing them in the forest It'll be interesting to see how he gets on (or not!) - excuse the pun!.

That sounds lovely Mrs T! I am a bit nervous of taking ds to a (nt) group class!

I wouldn't take ds1 to an NT class, but some riding schools allow you to book horses for private lessons so I would going to look into doing a family booking. But the friend option is so much better as I don't have to worry about how ds1 will be (and will give her something towards cost of horses upkeep or something).

We take DS1 to RDA at the Diamond Centre which is the only centre specifically for disabled riders only. He has a PD and does hippotherapy (very specialized) but while we are there 2 groups of children come from different schools, both lots have ASD, one lot come from a unit and one from an ASD specific school. They are very well equipped there so I think in principle RDA should be able to support ASD users but in practice it probably depends on the experience of those running the centre. I know the Diamond Centre runs courses though so you may want to suggest they get trained!!

Ds1 has done horse riding this term with the RDA (once a week) and is due to have his final lesson tomorrow. He has, according to his teacher, absolutely loved it and has sat on the horse with a huge smile on his face. He gets a rosette and certificate tomorrow.

anyone got numer for the RDA please wonder if theres anything local to me

DD does an NT class at the moment and loves it, but I'm a bit worried about next year as I don't think she'll be able to carry on with the same group as she simply can't do stuff without having to be shown how to every time. I suspect we might have to repeat the first year again next year, and after that look into private lessons (eek!) if she wants to carry on. She does love it, but it's hilarious watching her trying to lead her pony into the ring because she hasn't yet grasped that she's supposed to be telling the pony what to do and not the other way around! Fortunately her pony just follows all the other ones, and it's certainly done wonders for her balance. However, I think there's a bit of overload going on because she always zones out at the beginning when she's supposed to be brushing the pony and I'm usually doing most of it myself while she's just off on her own wee planet
I looked into RDA equivalent here and I could only find hippotherapy which looks great but is v. expensive as not really medically necessary for DD!

Phoenix,

[email protected] is the email enquiry service for the national office, who should be able to direct you elsewhere.

Ooh, timely thread, as school have just given me a form to fill in - DS2 near top of waiting list for RDA (they go once a week). Last time he touched a horse (he was 2)he came up in red blotches, so we'll have to check that out first. And second will be getting him on it - he has become very very cautious and won't get on a swing or even a tricycle, so goodness knows how he'll react to getting on to a living, breathing (stamping, snorting) animal. It will be great if it works out though - I can see the OT benefits straight away.

Ds was going to the RDA with his school, they take quite a few kids with ASD. (He hasn't been for a while as they have a pony shortage unfortunately). He is absolutely fearless and has natural balance (which I'm told is quite common) but won't be coming off the lead rein in the near future as he refuses to touch the reins! Still, he's improved since last year when he wouldn't put his feet in the stirrups either.

My friend is a freelance riding instructor and she is teaching a couple of little girls with ASD who go to ds's school. I'm sure there must be other people around who are willing to teach children with autism to ride, not necessarily in riding schools.

Pixel, what sort of reins are they using? There's all sorts of different coverings they can put on them for children who have sensory issues, e.g. rubber, sheepskin, etc. Some reins have plaited leather which is very rough..or rubber with knobbly bits on which is awful to touch.

Or would he do it if he was wearing gloves?

I don't know what reins they are using at the RDA but we just have some 'continental' ones which are made of a soft webbing with little leather grips at intervals along them. He won't touch the cotton leadrope either, he gets behind the shetland pony and pushes her to the gate instead! We did try gloves but he won't keep them on.

Actually I might be able to go along to the RDA soon and have a look at their tack because I got a letter home today to say that ds's class will be riding next term. I'm not totally sure that's the problem though, he just likes being led around. He's been known to go out for a ride with his gameboy in one hand and an apple in the other!