In 2011, Paul Cimins and his National Charity, Autism Radio (http://AutismRadio.org) launched an amazing “Therapeutic Horseback Riding Program” for children along with Stella Riding and the New Jersey Equestrian Center in Pompton Plains, New Jersey.
From http://Wikipedia.org on Horse Therapy for Autism:
“Therapeutic horseback riding has been used to help people with autism.[3][4][5][6] Especially for autistic children.[7] This activity is said to benefit the communication, motor skills, and social skills of an autistic person. It also causes improvement in responses to verbal and external stimuli and relaxation. People with autism cannot ignore one sense and let another take over the way most people can. Instead, they see, smell, hear, taste, and feel, and think all at once giving them sort of a sensory overload that they cannot handle.[original research?] Riding a horse helps them concentrate on just the task they are doing rather than everything all at once.
Equine assisted activities work almost like a reward system. When a child with poor communication skills wants the horse to walk they have to use a verbal command to move the horse forward it gives them incentive to give that command. Also, they will begin to build a bond with the horse and also with the handlers of that horse. Although the horses are led during lessons they learn to pull the reins to move the horse to one direction or another. These could be reaching down to grab something or giving the handler a high-five. Individuals with autism will learn to interact with the horses handlers to convey to them what they want the horse to do. If they want the horse to walk they have to learn from the handler how to ask the horse to do that. Also, it helps them to focus on something outside from themselves which is a difficulty for people with autism.”
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Find out more on how YOU can help 1 in 88 children in America with an Autism Donation today at: http://AutismDonation.org
Remember that “Hope Saves the Day”
Brian Cimins 
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