Horses Used to Help Heal Children

HOUSTON - Children with disabilities often undergo all kinds of therapy. We found an approach in an outdoor, surreal setting in Montgomery County. Parents say it's really working!

The wide open spaces at Panther Creek Inspirational Ranch are not only breathtakingly beautiful, horses are helping children in big ways.

We witnessed how they're helping improve children with problems that range from low muscle tone, to learning disorders, Autism, Down Syndrome, issues from being born prematurely, and brain damage.

It's almost impossible to explain the special connection between horse and child. It's something you have to see to believe.

"Just think about having to maneuver a 1,500-pound horse around a cone or pole and stopping it," says Carri Clement, the Director of Equine Therapy. "You're controlling something. Usually within their life (disabled child) - they don't get to control much!"

Panther Creek Inspirational Ranch started out as a youth ranch. Then, the founders, David & Linda Darnall, decided to take it a step further by developing it into a therapeutic riding opportunity for children.

"The horses do things you would never expect," says Linda Darnall. "They'll turn around and look at the child and wait for the child if the child is moving."

We met up with a little girl named Madeline, who suffers from brain damage. Her doctor told her parents she would probably never develop speech.

That all changed the second she got on a horse and underwent equine-assisted therapy.

"Before we started this class, we were fairly hopeless," says Keith Aguirre, Madeline's dad. "Now we hope for the quality of our life & her life."

After one year in school, Madeline could only speak a few words. In thirty minutes, she learned several new words while on the horse.

Her parents say they still can't believe it.

The Director of Equine Therapy fits her job perfectly. There's a very special reason she got her certification for this specific skill.

She did it so that she can work along side her son Wyatt, who has Down Syndrome. She not only gets to work with him, but help him, along with the horses, by leaps and bounds!

Carri says it's been a great experience for Wyatt to really help bring out his personality. She says he often doesn't listen at home, but he listens to every word, when he's on a horse. It's also helps him physically.

Wyatt has a condition called hip dysplasia, that used to make his hips slip out of socket. The gait of the horse helps strengthen his legs and keeps his hips in place. His mom says his hand-eye coordination has also really improved. He couldn't go up and down stairs, until he began equine-assisted therapy.

Every parent we talked to has seen a boost in their child's self confidence, including Stephanie Armstreet.

Her daughter, Jaden, was born prematurely and weighed about a pound and a half. Working on her speech has been their number one priority. "Her conversation has been wonderful!

"About 6 months ago, she was tested and speaking at a 2-year-
old level," says Stephanie. "After riding horses, she's now speaking like other 3 1/2-year-olds."

Therapy varies for each child and condition.

They participate in all types of games and activities while on the horse. Reaching for objects while on the horse helps develop core muscles and it also helps with balance.

They also work on fine motor skills, vocabulary, and colors. The older children are already trotting and really seem to enjoy going faster on the horses.

"The one thing that makes the horse special is the movement of the horse actually stimulates the spine and nervous system and brain, in a way that office therapy can't do," says David Darnall. "The horses are teaching trust and communication. Reseach shows it can even rejuvenate nerve endings in some situations."

They're empowering young people and changing their lives for the better.

The horses are hand-picked for the special job. One of them is 26 years old and incredibly gentle. Another is a rescue horse. He suffered so much abuse in his life, he really seems to enjoy making a positive impact on the children.

Watching the magic of it all made the photojournalist (who covered this story) and I wonder if the horses can possibly comprehend just how much they're helping. They're definitely making a difference!

The Darnalls say it's a blessing for them to match horses and children in need. They could use a lot of help! They say volunteers are key to their success.

This is a non-profit group, so the fees families pay only cover 20 percent of their costs.

To find out how you can help, or to see more about this organization, you can go to: www.pciranch.org or call 713-302-3640.