my capstone aka senior podject
PostPosted:Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:16 am
hey all i am sorry for how long this will be but i had to make it this long for a good grade and if you read it all i promise you that you would be like "wow that was very long, wow i never knew that there was such a thing as horse therapy, and wow just because 2 wow's is not justice enough for all this." lol i hope you enjoy.
plz let me know what you think.
CCB 1
11/7/11
Horse Riding, Should We or Should We Not?
There was a boy that was born with cerebral palsy and autism. The boy was named Joe. Other kids did not want to play with Joe when he was older because he could not do the same things that other kids could. One day Joe's parents heard about a horse therapy camp that uses horse to help people young and old with their disabilities. The next week Joe's parents took Joe to the camp to see if the camp could help Joe. That day Joe met a horse named Jake. That day Joe rode Jake, had a good time, spoke a little more than he usually did, and could not wait till the next time he would be able to ride Jake. Joe's parent were glad Joe was getting help. Joe's parent was glad that Joe was happy. Joe was getting better each time he went and saw Jake. Joe is an example of how horses benefit people.
There are many things about horses that people don't know. For example all of the benefits that people gain from riding horses. The benefit from riding horses can be separated in to four groups. The groups are physical, medical, mental, and social. There are many horse therapy camps and programs around the world. There are many dangers and rick of riding horses; however, there are many ways to prevent or reduce the severity of the injuries that the people may sustain. Remember Joe is doing horse therapy because he has medical problems. Joe was also doing horse therapy because he believed it was helping him and he was having fun. Riding horses is very beneficial to the rider in many ways. There are many reasons and wonder why horse riding is beneficial. There are also studies going on to find more connections to ways horses can help people with life's problems.
Studies and experiments from the past have shown many physical benefits from horse riding. Of course one physical benefit goes to our muscles. Abdominal and back muscle tone is a few examples that were given from the article “Mind Body & Soul.” When you are in the saddle you have to depend on your back, abdominal, and many other muscles to keep you from falling out of the saddle. Mobility is another physical trait that can be improved with horse riding. The natural movement of the horse promotes mobility in the rider. (Turning). Because of how the horse moves around it causes the rider to sway back and forth; therefore, causing the rider to have movement. In another way of saying how riding a horse promotes the rider to have mobility was said by Bender and McKenzie, “Each time the equine takes a step there is a concussive force transmitted to the patient giving them proprioceptive input (the sense of where the body is in relation to the other body parts).” when you are horse riding you have nothing holding you in the saddle; therefore, you have to balance yourself there which can cause you to improve your balance skills, stability, and postural controls. In the article called, “For disabled youth, few activities offer the physical/emotional benefits of horse riding therapy.” says that because the horse is moving that you have to constantly adjust your postural control. (Tobias). When you are riding a horse it is almost just like walking but you are not using anything below your waist; therefore, you have to depend on your upper half of your body. Therefore, when you are riding horses you will always profit with physical benefits.
Studies had also shown significant results of medical benefits from riding horses. Riding horses can benefit many people with disabilities young and old. Cerebral palsy, down syndrome, brain injuries, strokes, and attention deficit disorder are only a few disabilities that riding horses can help with. (Bender and McKenzie). Riding horses doesn't just help many people with disabilities but helps many people with multiple disabilities. Cerebral palsy is a medical diagnosis that prevents muscles from developing. Cerebral palsy is a disability that causes many infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to be in a wheelchair when they are older. Studies have shown people that have cerebral palsy and ride horses will most likely to generate strength. Bailey says that Courtney was born with cerebral palsy that prevented her from developing leg muscles strong enough to hold herself up and that she had awkward movements. Bailey also says that once Courtney got the chance to ride a horse she continued to grow stronger physically. Now that Courtney is riding horses she is fighting the cerebral palsy more than what she has ever done before and she is gaining muscle strength rather than maintaining or losing it. Strokes are defined as a brain injury that can cause you to lose some motor skills, memories, or other abilities that the brain controls. Depending on where the stroke happens on the brain would determine what would be lost. In March 2011 my grandma had multiple strokes in the back of her brain near the part that connected to her spinal cord. The strokes took out her memories, balance, speech, and vision. I know that riding horses could not have saved her life but if her balance was the only disability that was affected then it would be safe to say that if she wanted to regain her balance that riding horses would be a great method in doing so. Riding horses maybe able to help you or other people you know that has medical problems but that is if you give it a try.
Mental and social are two other benefits that that had shown up from the studies of the benefits in riding horses. Violence is a mental and social factor of behavior that can cause people to not understand what a person is trying to say and could cause the person to harm others. Riding horses can help violent psych hospital patients to calm down better than drugs or medicine. For example given by Otto, “One patient, hospitalized for 15 years was moved to tears working with animals and preferred larger ones.” and as a beneficial consequence the patient required less restraints. It is arcane with how horses have many effects on people in so many different ways but maybe it is that for such a large animal to show such compassion and gentleness causes these benefits. In “The Horse Boy.” a nonfiction book by Isaacson tells of the benefits that horse riding has had on a boy named Rowan diagnosed with autism. Before Rowan rode a horse he hardly ever spoke and when he did it was never much, but after he rode a horse named Betsy Isaacson says, “AT FIRST THESE VERBAL LEAPS FORWARD happened only on or immediately around Betsy.” (39) and later on says that the longer the rides the more he talks. Isaacson says that the only way that was possible is if Rowan and Betsy shares the same feelings or shares a bond between each other. Horses are very beneficial even when it comes to drug addictions. As of now there is no real evidence of horses helping youth solvent abusers but Solway says “First Nation in southern Alberta is looking to help youth linked with solvent abuse.” with horse therapy. Horses can sense a problem with the rider and then try to find a way to fix or reduce its effect on the rider. Horses have been used for many physical, mental, social, and medical purposes to benefit the riders as much as possible.
Horse therapy camps and programs are everywhere around the world helping the young, old and the disabled. Ireland had started their first horse therapy camp. The inspiration for Ireland's first therapy camp was when a boy was diagnosed with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and aspergers. That boy was Maggie's son. Maggie had grown up around horses all of her life. Her first thought after finding out about all of the problems her son was born with was to her “life was finished with horses.” (Ireland's). However horses had a calming effect on her son. Her son was the inspiration for Ireland's first therapy camp. At firsts the founders of the camp did not believe that the camp would be successful; however the camp has been very successful. The camp focuses on children with autism. “We use the Horse Boy Method for sensory purpose,” Maggie explained. “Riding can help a child's endorphins by lying on the horse in different directions, listening to the horse's heartbeat and feeling its movement.” (Ireland's). The horse boy method is their best way of helping children with autism. Because of the first horse therapeutic camp's success many people would say that there are going to be more in the future. “Never anticipated the camp's success, but now it looks like there's going to be one set up in most of the countries across Ireland.” With only one camp then it would make it harder to help many more people so they are going to expand on order to help as many as they can only because there is hope of helping many people. Ireland has just started using horses therapy to help other with disabilities.
There are also horse therapy camps and programs here in the United States of America that are helping many as many people that come for their help or accept their help. Horse therapy is not very common for the elderly so many camps and programs target the young and middle aged people; however, David Barnard has made it his target to see if horses therapy would help the elderly . Barnard says the many horsemen know the benefits that come with horse riding; therefore, they target the children with disabilities to help out with horse therapy. “I am unaware of anyone else who uses them to work with the elderly in a nursing home settings. What started out as a hopeful experiment has blossomed into a successful therapeutic program.” (Barnard). Barnard saw that there as no therapeutic programs for the elderly so he had a few trial runs with it and then it was a huge breakthrough with helping the elderly in nursing homes. Barnard has given many example of how therapeutic riding has help the elderly. One example is of an elderly lady that was only able to say one work and then another thirty seconds later. When Barnard helped her up on his horse, started to walk the horse around, and then asked her how she liked the ride. She replied with “I like it just fine. This is the first time I've ever been on a horse!” (Barnard) after Barnard heard that he nearly fell over because she replied to him with out having to wait thirty seconds for each word. Unfortunately after she was back on the ground she went back to one word every thirty seconds. Another example of how riding horses helps the elderly is when a Libby an elderly lady was at first too afraid to go outside with the horse there. However, after many visits she started seeing many of the other elderly ride the horse and have a good time and hearing the talking from them of how it was and that they could not wait till the next time they could ride the horse. Finally Libby got the courage to go and ask the get on the horse one day Barnard came back. She did not want Barnard to walk the horse around and after Barnard helped her down he said “It seemed that her life had changed. Always a timid soul, Libby became more comfortable expressing herself and acting more assertively.” (Barnard). For Libby it was just getting on the horse and sitting there for a while that helped her with her timid state in the nursing home. Therapeutic riding can help the elderly just as much as it can the young it is that the young are more of a target for the camps and programs.
Turning Pointe is another horse therapy camp that helps many people with horse riding. Turning Pointe uses horse therapy to help people with rehabilitation. “We look forward to seeing more of these kinds or rehabilitative achievements that come from working with the natural movements of the horse.” (Turning). They use the horse's movements to promote movement in the rider. Turning Pointe has also help many people. To Turning Pointe it does not matter if the people that come for their help are young or old. The people also come from all around Rhode Island and Southern Connecticut to get help from Turning Pointe. There are many therapy camps and programs to help people with horse therapy and there are going to be many more because of the success they are all having.
Vancouver Sun says that riding horses is very dangerous and risky. “Riding a horse hasn't made a name for itself as a dangerous sport, but according to a recent study, its potential for injury is on par with rugby and riskier than auto-racing, motorcycle riding, football and skiing.” (Study). Vancouver Sun also says that more than half of the people that are injured from horses have chest pain and that about half suffer from head injuries. “surgery was required for 45 percent of all injuries.” (Study). Vancouver Sun finally says that about seven to ten percent of patients had died from their injuries.
I can not argue with the fact that riding horses is very dangerous and risky. However, there are ways to prevent many injuries from riding horses. When you are on the ground the horse can kick you or run you over but you can prevent that with “Always Speak to any horse as you approach to alert him of your presence before walking near.” and, “Don't take grain or other food into a group of horses--this just entices them to crowd around you and could incite a “food fight,” with you caught in the middle.” (Rules). “Rules To Live By” also gives many other hints for leading, working in a round pen, trailering, and turning loose. However in the saddle, “Staying calm, focused, and alert are key safeguards.” (Rules).following all of the rules you will be less likely to have injuries from riding horses and if you do they may not be as bad as if you did not follow the rules.
Because of riding horses people are able to cope with and fit their problems. People young and hold are able to use horse therapy to help with their problems. Horse therapy has helped many people with a variety of disabilities. In most cases horse therapy has help people with adapting with the world, being able to interact with the world, and changing their lives forever. However there are people that horse therapy did not help. Horse therapy is not for everyone and it never will be. However people will never know till they try horse therapy. There are also those that are too afraid or just don't want to try out horse therapy. Finally, there are those like Sara Ayers that has been riding horses since they can remember. Sara Ayers is still riding horses to this day and still enjoys it very much. She also knows of some of the benefits that she gets from it. However, she mostly rides just because is is relaxing and a little get away from her own life and the stresses of the world.
Like Joe I Had many problems. The problems may have not been medical or physical but the were just as bad. The problems had kept me from making friends and being social. One day my dad bought three horses. It was the first time I had ever saw a horse in person. Over time I started to ride the horses. There were time when I would get bucked off and hurt but I always got back on. To me riding a horse was very relaxing and over time it had taught me many things that I would have not found out if it was not for riding horses. Riding horses had taught me how to be social, not to be shy, and that I am special for who I am and not for what I do. When I was taken away from my parents I was not able to ride horses anymore and I did not know how to handle it. Because I did not know how to handle being taken from my parents I did not talk that much unless I had to. Then when I went to live with my uncle I was able to ride horses again. For me riding horses was like my own therapy sessions with a therapist. I started to be social again and talked more freely with everyone because of riding horses. That is how riding horses helped me. Riding horses can help people with physical, medical, mental, and social disabilities.
plz let me know what you think.
CCB 1
11/7/11
Horse Riding, Should We or Should We Not?
There was a boy that was born with cerebral palsy and autism. The boy was named Joe. Other kids did not want to play with Joe when he was older because he could not do the same things that other kids could. One day Joe's parents heard about a horse therapy camp that uses horse to help people young and old with their disabilities. The next week Joe's parents took Joe to the camp to see if the camp could help Joe. That day Joe met a horse named Jake. That day Joe rode Jake, had a good time, spoke a little more than he usually did, and could not wait till the next time he would be able to ride Jake. Joe's parent were glad Joe was getting help. Joe's parent was glad that Joe was happy. Joe was getting better each time he went and saw Jake. Joe is an example of how horses benefit people.
There are many things about horses that people don't know. For example all of the benefits that people gain from riding horses. The benefit from riding horses can be separated in to four groups. The groups are physical, medical, mental, and social. There are many horse therapy camps and programs around the world. There are many dangers and rick of riding horses; however, there are many ways to prevent or reduce the severity of the injuries that the people may sustain. Remember Joe is doing horse therapy because he has medical problems. Joe was also doing horse therapy because he believed it was helping him and he was having fun. Riding horses is very beneficial to the rider in many ways. There are many reasons and wonder why horse riding is beneficial. There are also studies going on to find more connections to ways horses can help people with life's problems.
Studies and experiments from the past have shown many physical benefits from horse riding. Of course one physical benefit goes to our muscles. Abdominal and back muscle tone is a few examples that were given from the article “Mind Body & Soul.” When you are in the saddle you have to depend on your back, abdominal, and many other muscles to keep you from falling out of the saddle. Mobility is another physical trait that can be improved with horse riding. The natural movement of the horse promotes mobility in the rider. (Turning). Because of how the horse moves around it causes the rider to sway back and forth; therefore, causing the rider to have movement. In another way of saying how riding a horse promotes the rider to have mobility was said by Bender and McKenzie, “Each time the equine takes a step there is a concussive force transmitted to the patient giving them proprioceptive input (the sense of where the body is in relation to the other body parts).” when you are horse riding you have nothing holding you in the saddle; therefore, you have to balance yourself there which can cause you to improve your balance skills, stability, and postural controls. In the article called, “For disabled youth, few activities offer the physical/emotional benefits of horse riding therapy.” says that because the horse is moving that you have to constantly adjust your postural control. (Tobias). When you are riding a horse it is almost just like walking but you are not using anything below your waist; therefore, you have to depend on your upper half of your body. Therefore, when you are riding horses you will always profit with physical benefits.
Studies had also shown significant results of medical benefits from riding horses. Riding horses can benefit many people with disabilities young and old. Cerebral palsy, down syndrome, brain injuries, strokes, and attention deficit disorder are only a few disabilities that riding horses can help with. (Bender and McKenzie). Riding horses doesn't just help many people with disabilities but helps many people with multiple disabilities. Cerebral palsy is a medical diagnosis that prevents muscles from developing. Cerebral palsy is a disability that causes many infants, toddlers, and preschoolers to be in a wheelchair when they are older. Studies have shown people that have cerebral palsy and ride horses will most likely to generate strength. Bailey says that Courtney was born with cerebral palsy that prevented her from developing leg muscles strong enough to hold herself up and that she had awkward movements. Bailey also says that once Courtney got the chance to ride a horse she continued to grow stronger physically. Now that Courtney is riding horses she is fighting the cerebral palsy more than what she has ever done before and she is gaining muscle strength rather than maintaining or losing it. Strokes are defined as a brain injury that can cause you to lose some motor skills, memories, or other abilities that the brain controls. Depending on where the stroke happens on the brain would determine what would be lost. In March 2011 my grandma had multiple strokes in the back of her brain near the part that connected to her spinal cord. The strokes took out her memories, balance, speech, and vision. I know that riding horses could not have saved her life but if her balance was the only disability that was affected then it would be safe to say that if she wanted to regain her balance that riding horses would be a great method in doing so. Riding horses maybe able to help you or other people you know that has medical problems but that is if you give it a try.
Mental and social are two other benefits that that had shown up from the studies of the benefits in riding horses. Violence is a mental and social factor of behavior that can cause people to not understand what a person is trying to say and could cause the person to harm others. Riding horses can help violent psych hospital patients to calm down better than drugs or medicine. For example given by Otto, “One patient, hospitalized for 15 years was moved to tears working with animals and preferred larger ones.” and as a beneficial consequence the patient required less restraints. It is arcane with how horses have many effects on people in so many different ways but maybe it is that for such a large animal to show such compassion and gentleness causes these benefits. In “The Horse Boy.” a nonfiction book by Isaacson tells of the benefits that horse riding has had on a boy named Rowan diagnosed with autism. Before Rowan rode a horse he hardly ever spoke and when he did it was never much, but after he rode a horse named Betsy Isaacson says, “AT FIRST THESE VERBAL LEAPS FORWARD happened only on or immediately around Betsy.” (39) and later on says that the longer the rides the more he talks. Isaacson says that the only way that was possible is if Rowan and Betsy shares the same feelings or shares a bond between each other. Horses are very beneficial even when it comes to drug addictions. As of now there is no real evidence of horses helping youth solvent abusers but Solway says “First Nation in southern Alberta is looking to help youth linked with solvent abuse.” with horse therapy. Horses can sense a problem with the rider and then try to find a way to fix or reduce its effect on the rider. Horses have been used for many physical, mental, social, and medical purposes to benefit the riders as much as possible.
Horse therapy camps and programs are everywhere around the world helping the young, old and the disabled. Ireland had started their first horse therapy camp. The inspiration for Ireland's first therapy camp was when a boy was diagnosed with autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and aspergers. That boy was Maggie's son. Maggie had grown up around horses all of her life. Her first thought after finding out about all of the problems her son was born with was to her “life was finished with horses.” (Ireland's). However horses had a calming effect on her son. Her son was the inspiration for Ireland's first therapy camp. At firsts the founders of the camp did not believe that the camp would be successful; however the camp has been very successful. The camp focuses on children with autism. “We use the Horse Boy Method for sensory purpose,” Maggie explained. “Riding can help a child's endorphins by lying on the horse in different directions, listening to the horse's heartbeat and feeling its movement.” (Ireland's). The horse boy method is their best way of helping children with autism. Because of the first horse therapeutic camp's success many people would say that there are going to be more in the future. “Never anticipated the camp's success, but now it looks like there's going to be one set up in most of the countries across Ireland.” With only one camp then it would make it harder to help many more people so they are going to expand on order to help as many as they can only because there is hope of helping many people. Ireland has just started using horses therapy to help other with disabilities.
There are also horse therapy camps and programs here in the United States of America that are helping many as many people that come for their help or accept their help. Horse therapy is not very common for the elderly so many camps and programs target the young and middle aged people; however, David Barnard has made it his target to see if horses therapy would help the elderly . Barnard says the many horsemen know the benefits that come with horse riding; therefore, they target the children with disabilities to help out with horse therapy. “I am unaware of anyone else who uses them to work with the elderly in a nursing home settings. What started out as a hopeful experiment has blossomed into a successful therapeutic program.” (Barnard). Barnard saw that there as no therapeutic programs for the elderly so he had a few trial runs with it and then it was a huge breakthrough with helping the elderly in nursing homes. Barnard has given many example of how therapeutic riding has help the elderly. One example is of an elderly lady that was only able to say one work and then another thirty seconds later. When Barnard helped her up on his horse, started to walk the horse around, and then asked her how she liked the ride. She replied with “I like it just fine. This is the first time I've ever been on a horse!” (Barnard) after Barnard heard that he nearly fell over because she replied to him with out having to wait thirty seconds for each word. Unfortunately after she was back on the ground she went back to one word every thirty seconds. Another example of how riding horses helps the elderly is when a Libby an elderly lady was at first too afraid to go outside with the horse there. However, after many visits she started seeing many of the other elderly ride the horse and have a good time and hearing the talking from them of how it was and that they could not wait till the next time they could ride the horse. Finally Libby got the courage to go and ask the get on the horse one day Barnard came back. She did not want Barnard to walk the horse around and after Barnard helped her down he said “It seemed that her life had changed. Always a timid soul, Libby became more comfortable expressing herself and acting more assertively.” (Barnard). For Libby it was just getting on the horse and sitting there for a while that helped her with her timid state in the nursing home. Therapeutic riding can help the elderly just as much as it can the young it is that the young are more of a target for the camps and programs.
Turning Pointe is another horse therapy camp that helps many people with horse riding. Turning Pointe uses horse therapy to help people with rehabilitation. “We look forward to seeing more of these kinds or rehabilitative achievements that come from working with the natural movements of the horse.” (Turning). They use the horse's movements to promote movement in the rider. Turning Pointe has also help many people. To Turning Pointe it does not matter if the people that come for their help are young or old. The people also come from all around Rhode Island and Southern Connecticut to get help from Turning Pointe. There are many therapy camps and programs to help people with horse therapy and there are going to be many more because of the success they are all having.
Vancouver Sun says that riding horses is very dangerous and risky. “Riding a horse hasn't made a name for itself as a dangerous sport, but according to a recent study, its potential for injury is on par with rugby and riskier than auto-racing, motorcycle riding, football and skiing.” (Study). Vancouver Sun also says that more than half of the people that are injured from horses have chest pain and that about half suffer from head injuries. “surgery was required for 45 percent of all injuries.” (Study). Vancouver Sun finally says that about seven to ten percent of patients had died from their injuries.
I can not argue with the fact that riding horses is very dangerous and risky. However, there are ways to prevent many injuries from riding horses. When you are on the ground the horse can kick you or run you over but you can prevent that with “Always Speak to any horse as you approach to alert him of your presence before walking near.” and, “Don't take grain or other food into a group of horses--this just entices them to crowd around you and could incite a “food fight,” with you caught in the middle.” (Rules). “Rules To Live By” also gives many other hints for leading, working in a round pen, trailering, and turning loose. However in the saddle, “Staying calm, focused, and alert are key safeguards.” (Rules).following all of the rules you will be less likely to have injuries from riding horses and if you do they may not be as bad as if you did not follow the rules.
Because of riding horses people are able to cope with and fit their problems. People young and hold are able to use horse therapy to help with their problems. Horse therapy has helped many people with a variety of disabilities. In most cases horse therapy has help people with adapting with the world, being able to interact with the world, and changing their lives forever. However there are people that horse therapy did not help. Horse therapy is not for everyone and it never will be. However people will never know till they try horse therapy. There are also those that are too afraid or just don't want to try out horse therapy. Finally, there are those like Sara Ayers that has been riding horses since they can remember. Sara Ayers is still riding horses to this day and still enjoys it very much. She also knows of some of the benefits that she gets from it. However, she mostly rides just because is is relaxing and a little get away from her own life and the stresses of the world.
Like Joe I Had many problems. The problems may have not been medical or physical but the were just as bad. The problems had kept me from making friends and being social. One day my dad bought three horses. It was the first time I had ever saw a horse in person. Over time I started to ride the horses. There were time when I would get bucked off and hurt but I always got back on. To me riding a horse was very relaxing and over time it had taught me many things that I would have not found out if it was not for riding horses. Riding horses had taught me how to be social, not to be shy, and that I am special for who I am and not for what I do. When I was taken away from my parents I was not able to ride horses anymore and I did not know how to handle it. Because I did not know how to handle being taken from my parents I did not talk that much unless I had to. Then when I went to live with my uncle I was able to ride horses again. For me riding horses was like my own therapy sessions with a therapist. I started to be social again and talked more freely with everyone because of riding horses. That is how riding horses helped me. Riding horses can help people with physical, medical, mental, and social disabilities.
