Horses and the Handicapped

We know that horses provide some of the greatest companionships animals can give to humans, but what alot of people don't realize is that horses also provide some of the best therapeutic help to those who are handicapped.
The Magic Horse Therapeutic Riding Program in Lakeside, California knows this very well. Founder Robin Pawl started the program for children with disabilities in 2004. The goal of her program is to provide life-altering experiences for disabled people and their families through the magic and power of the horse. Avery is a 10-year-old boy with cerebral palsy, brain damage and learning disabilities. When he first came to Magic Horse he was unable to sit on his Quarter Horse partner Iggy, but now he can sit forwards, backwards, and sideways on his own. Pawl says that the motions of the horse beneath him simulate pelvic movement, helping Avery to improve his coordination skills, strengthen his back muscles and improve his sense of balance. Like many disabled children, Avery missed key developmental stages. "If the brain doesn't develop, we try to develop new pathways," said Pawl, a therapeutic riding instructor certified through NAHRA, the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association, which provides referrals to therapeutic riding programs worldwide. Her riding program has been so beneficial and important to the lives of these kids including 13-year-old Laurel and 9-year-old Lauren. "It's a positive experience," concluded Pawl, who takes pride in helping children at The Magic Horse. "They have fun, and a lot of times they surprise you. My job is to stay one step ahead of them."
Other than providing therapeutic assistance to children with disabilities, are there other ways in which the horse provides mental and physical help to those in need?
Raftery, M. (2008, September). People powers- magic horse miracles: Therapeutic riding program benefits disabled kids. East County Magazine, Retrieved from http://eastcountymagazine.org/magichorse