Set on a beautiful spread of land in Grimes County is a young girl seated on a horse. From a distance, the child looks very small on top of such a large and powerful animal.
Yet there is something very natural about this scene as the horse begins to walk in the fenced area. Assisted by two adults, they hold her knees making sure the girl is comfortable and secure. She smiles and by looking at the beam across her face, one can tell she is on top of the world.
Suddenly, the group stops. One of the adults pulls out a red plastic ball. The girl thinks for a moment and then identifies the object as being red. The two adults are excited and proud. They put the ball down and continue to walk.
As they circle inside the fenced area, the group stops several times and other objects are brought out. Sometimes the girl identifies the color and other times she counts the number of items. In each instance, the adults acknowledge approvingly.
From a distance, one quickly can sense more is occurring than meets the eye -- something perhaps special.
What seems like a typical riding lesson is actually a form of therapy. The young girl is an autistic child who struggles with speech and social skills so on this day she’s learning more than just riding, she’s learning how to communicate.
Using a technique called ‘therapeutic riding,’ Sundance Equine Assisted Therapies is a business like no other in the Brazos Valley. Mid-South Synergy is proud to service electricity to such a locally unique organization. Sundance stands out in the fact that the facility uses horses to assist and educate the children and adults of our community.
For those individuals living with physical, occupational, and speech-language disabilities, Sundance’s use of horses as a treatment strategy has shown great results.
Opened in 2009, Sundance started out as a dream by Founder Laura Allen. With her love of horses, Laura envisioned incorporating her passion along with therapy. After doing extensive research, Laura became licensed in therapeutic riding and opened the center with her husband Brad.
For the couple, the venture is right up their alley. Brad and Laura also own and operate Allen Therapies which provides Physical Therapy treatment.
“For most of our children, it’s an educational experience” says Allen. “We’re teaching them the alphabet. We’re teaching them the colors, and how to do therapy all by using a horse. Using the horse opens windows and doors that a school or hospital bed can’t always get to.”
To see Laura in action, it doesn’t take long to see that there’s a connection between the child and horse. Laura says therapeutic riding works well because kids are drawn to the calm demeanor of the animal and feel safe.
“The horse gives them a new sense of power, strength, and confidence they may have never felt before” says Allen.
Even the horse seems to understand its helping. It exerts patience creating a great working relationship. Parents have also responded well after seeing these results.
Allen says initially many of the parents are a little nervous but after observing the interaction between the horse and the child, they become “supportive” and “true believers of the therapy.”
“Once people start seeing what it can do” Allen adds, “they’re hooked.”
Sundance Equine Assisted Therapies does not turn anyone away and will work with anyone who is in need. The center assists in finding financial aid for any parent wanting the assistance for their child. “We try to get them riding no matter what” says Allen.
Allen says she’s happy to do so. “This is my passion, this is where I belong.”
To find out more about Sundance Equine Assisted Therapies, go to http://www.sundancetherapies.org or call 936-870-3475.