NCEFT

I must admit that I was more than a little bit skeptical of the benefits of equine assisted rehabilitation prior to visiting NCEFT. I couldn't imagine how the movement of a horse could be a better course of therapy than work with a licensed physical therapist. Even after watching the DVDs provided by the facility, I still was unconvinced.

It was the moment that I saw one of the children atop the horse, overcome with enthusiasm and working hard to ride by herself that my opinion changed. The horses awakened in her an unrestrained excitement, which led to strong motivation to perform the activities requested by the physical therapist. I feel that this motivation is especially important for children, who may not understand why they need to undergo grueling physical therapy that none of their friends have to undertake. I agree with Tamara that it was magical seeing the children interact with the horses.

I was also struck by the total cost of running such a facility (they estimated $2,000 for a half hour session), and I was amazed that such a facility could exist, despite its astronomical cost. I think it really exemplifies the things that are possible when you get together a group of horse-lovers with a passion for helping others.

-Shawn

Comments

Comment by: Beverley Kane, MD at November 3, 2009 8:08 AM

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