Her small hands wrapped themselves around the wrists of the side-walkers on either side of her, insistently squeezing and kneading. “You want your seatbelt back?” one of them asked. Both women raised their hands from where they’d been lightly holding the child’s ankles and draped their forearms over the tops of her thighs. “Click, seatbelt on.” The rider sighed, contentedly resting her palms on their arms. They made two more laps around the arena in this fashion, their comfortable conversation pausing only briefly when the therapist requested a change of direction on the next diagonal.
She has Down Syndrome, the most prevalent chromosomal disorder affecting more than 400,000 people in the United States alone. Caused by additional genetic material—part, or all, of a third chromosome 21—the syndrome results in cognitive delays and stereotypic physical features. However, those affected by Down can go on to lead rewarding lives when given the correct educational, emotional, and therapeutic support.
Results from an 11-week study conducted at the University of Quebec in November of 2010 indicate that equine-assisted therapy improves the gross motor function and postural control of children with Down Syndrome. Motor function refers to the body’s ability to work as system, thereby enabling us to act and move. These functions are divided into two types, fine motor skills that involve small muscles, and gross motor skills involving larger muscles. Hippotherapy (Hippo) and Therapeutic riding (TR) increases strength in these larger muscle groups, allowing for improvements in walking and running. Though the ability to move is a necessary part of being able to care for oneself, it also has profound implications on one’s social opportunities. Early childhood development of social skills is dependent on participation in peer interaction. Hippo and TR not only improve a child’s ability to participate in games, but give them a source of conversation and commonality.
“Ready?” the therapist asks. The young girl immediately signs her reply, touching the front of the felt pad and placing her hand on her chest, “Go please!” For her, NCEFT simply means a small brown pony named Valentine. It’s not 30 minutes of improving motor function, or working on signing two-word sentences. It’s soft fur, blue skies, and friends who are always ready to hold your hand.
