Horses are cool

I got back to the condo late this afternoon from visiting the balloon girl, a one hour and forty minute flight away. It was nice and sunny there and it is mostly cloudy and cool here. We had a great time yesterday and today, both days she chose to go to the Mall and see the Sea Lion Show. Yesterday we sat in the "pay" bleachers, today dad cheaped out and we watched the show from the upper deck of the Mall in spite of her initial protests. She enjoyed the show just as much both days in the end and she always gets whoever is around to clap and smile. We took a flock of balloons (they fly away if not properly tethered, so must come in flocks) back to her apartment and I left some easter candies for tomorrow.

Tomorrow she starts back horse back riding. She has ridden horses for six or more years now, in the spring and in the fall. It is Therapeutic Riding and is the most wonderful thing in her world. Before she started the therapeutic riding we had tried everything to get to focus. She still is not interested in watching TV or playing games as such. We spent hours, two or three minutes at a time, sitting on the couch, bribing her with Smarties, at the doctor's or some other professional's direction, trying to get her to sit and focus on one thing.
I had taken her to places where they had pony rides and in spite of wanting to pet the horse and even indicating she wanted to ride, she always balked at the last minute, freezing up and not willing to get on the pony.

I would have bet a months pay that the therapeutic riding was not going to work but we had waited for several months to get to the top of the waiting list and were willing to try anything to get her to have an activity that she could participate in.

Well the people at the therapeutic riding were wonderful and couched her onto the horse and she rode the entire hour without so much as one protest. It is hard work sitting on a horse that long but she loved it and persisted.

She signs horse tens of time every day and when she isn't riding, I will often take her to the stable just to visit the horses and watch for a short time, anyone that might be riding in the indoor arena.

ASL sign for horse:



The horses are such kind animals and the staff and volunteers are the best!