Different, But Not Less

I finally got around to watching Temple Gradin, starring Claire Danes and had to chide myself for knowing too little about this extraordinary woman.  I have heard of Dr. Grandin's work on behalf of slaughter animals and have a personal and professional connection with Autism.  What this film did was let me "see in pictures" an angle of Autism and animals that equaled an epiphany.

Working with individuals diagnosed under the spectrum of autism in therapeutic riding, I was introduced to the idea that they did not see things the same way as I did.  The horses were always a bridge between my view and theirs.  I learned so much from them about perspective and tried to understand with greater patience.  When my nephew was diagnosed with Austism, I relied on those experiences, but on a personal level, I felt out of focus with him. Without the horses, I struggled to see his view.

This film put perspective to the puzzle.  "I've got it!" I said.  Well, maybe not it, but the idea, anyway.  If you haven't seen this film, run to do so.  If you want to know more of Temple Grandin's work to design animal holding areas to reduce stress and enhance the beneficial treatment of slaughter animals:  www.grandin.com Or if you want to have a greater understanding of autism: www.templegrandin.com




I am going to start reading her books immediately.  Animals and Autism have something to teach us about ourselves.  Every one of us.

Different, not less.

Kind Regards,
Michelle Blackler
Serendipity
www.hossbiz.com
Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

Trisomy Awareness Month

Michele, Don Pecos and Lucy welcome Morgan to his therapeutic riding lesson

Morgan came for his therapeutic riding lesson on Wednesday. We had two special treats: the weather was fine and Morgan's Dad, Mike came to watch. Michele was able to join us as Don Pecos's leader and everyone was in great form. Morgan was smiling and shifting his seat to encourage Don Pecos to extend the walk. Pecos obliged and Michele got a good workout, too.

I've talked about Morgan in the past, but as March is Trisomy Awareness month, I wanted to add some information about this condition. In Trisomy 18 there are three chromosome #18 instead of the usual two. It is a life threatening anomaly in which 90% of children born with it will not survive. Trisomy 18 is diagnosed in one in 3,000 births.

Morgan is in the 10% of children with Trisomy 18 who live past their first birthday. He has many other challenges including Type I Diabetes and epilepsy, but he is a living miracle and reason for the rest of us to marvel at the beauty of life, in all its incantations.

He has taught me many lessons and my life is a richer place because Morgan is in it. When he laughs, the world is a better place. When you look for joy in unlikely places, like Trisomy 18, you find even greater wonder.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

Therapeutic Riding and Driving

My Grandpa told me a horse would cure all that ails a person. Golly, that man was a sage. I have been cured by horses of so many otherwise incurable maladies: childish pride, broken hearts, loneliness, and PMS, to name but a few. So discovering that there was an equine curriculum for treating individuals with disabilities was no surprise to me. If you have been reading about Jennifer in the last two blogs, you know what a deeply personal journey therapeutic riding has been for me.

I have witnesses individuals achieving goals with the aid of horses none other thought possible: greater balance and coordination, improved cognitive functioning, enhanced speech skills and so many others. I could fill a book with stories about these things, but this is a blog. Blog. Blog. Blog.

So, I will describe why therapeutic riding is so important to the individual with disabilities. The horse moves in a three dimensions: side to side, back and forth and up and down. As a treatment modality, it is unmatched. The rhythmic, cyclical motion normalizes arousal states for improved cognitive function, at the same time stimulating muscles for improved physical functioning. It has been documented that there is no system in the human body that is not impacted positively by the movement of a horse.

Therapeutic driving is an equally impressive anecdote to aid in functioning for some of the same and other reasons. Driving a horse can enable an individual with, say, spina bifida to be just like everyone else. It levels the playing field. Learning to judge speed and distance is an important activity of daily life [ADL in occupational therapy-speak]. Driving provides multiple step directives for developing memory. Plus, it is a blast.

But, by far the most important, in my mind, is the spotlight on the emotional functioning of these individuals. Anyone who loves a horse needs no further explanation. Anyone who has ever cuddled with Ace or looked into Don Pecos' eyes, or been body hugged by Kitten, will understand this. The very first positive impact I witness is an immediate increase in self esteem. When I see those eyes sparkling, I know the client can do almost anything I ask. And if they can't, they try and try and try.

Almost every spectacular goal accomplished in my therapeutic riding career can be directed to the beginning of self esteem. If an individual is challenged either physically or cognitively, they find an alternate route toward discovering their potential through a belief in themselves. Therapeutic riding can not make the blind see. But that doesn't stop me saying to a blind rider, "Do you see?", nor belie their response, "Yes. Yes, I do."

Therapeutic Riding or Driving is important for my own functioning. I have learned to 'see' things from multiple levels: the client with an IQ of 19, the client with autism, the client with paraplegia and that has made me a more effective teacher, trainer, coach and friend. I have learned many things from my therapeutic clients, not all have been easy, some have been hilarious. All of them have been received with gratitude.

It always comes back to the horses. The cure for whate'er ails ya.

Kind Regards,

Michelle Blackler

Serendipity

www.hossbiz.com

Serendipity is an Accidental Sagacity Corporation company.

Therapeutic Riding: Morgan, his Morgan and Michel[l]es

The Wednesday Night Team

I wish I knew how many miles Morgan, Michele and I have traveled together in the last six years. Walking next to Don Pecos last night, I felt the usual comfortable unity of our team. Pecos and I marching, swinging, consistent, Michele and Morgan moving back and forth, side to side and up and down with the rhythm of the movement, Morgan's mom, Holly snapping photos in the gorgeous late summer sunlight.

This is a blog. I have to remind myself to resist my natural tendency towards verbosity. For I could go on and on and on telling the stories of how this little boy has taught me lessons in life. Conversely, I could write about the many times I have experienced extraordinary boundless friendship with Michele and Holly. I can never say enough about the beauty of Don Pecos. But, suffice it to say thirty minutes on Wednesday go very fast, and so easily. All those minutes, all those miles, remain among my most cherished.

If I was to make a music video of the Wednesday Night Therapy Team, it would be set to the Eagles' song, Peaceful, Easy Feeling.

Enough talk. Let the photos speak...