Horses can be the best therapists

Any person who has bonded with a horse knows that like dogs, they are good listeners and good friends. They don't judge, but simply love you just the way you are. All they ask is that you treat them with kindness and respect.

For most of us, that kinship with the horse is merely a bonus to life - one of the benefits of sharing life with a horse. For others, it is a life line.

Sometimes people stricken with a disability are unable to communicate or connect with a human. Only animals, such as dogs and horses, give them an outlet for love, touching, and caring. Horses also give the physically disabled a mobility and a sense of power that they could never have otherwise.

If you've ridden, you know the awesome feeling of being in control of an animal clearly large enough to stomp you in the dust. Never mind that the horses chosen for therapy are the calmest, sweetest, and gentlest of the gentle. Never mind that these horses know what to do at all times. Their riders are still "in charge" and can feel the exhilaration of power.

That is a rare feeling for the disabled, and it is why riding therapy is so popular.

Riding therapy emphasizes the rider's abilities while downplaying his or her disabilities. It offers motivation to succeed and try, while it exercises and mobilizes both mind and body.

Horse therapy has its own association: North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) To learn more about horse therapy, contact H.E.L.P.