Last week we saw this sign posted on our school district’s Facebook page.  What a great way to start the school year! As I mused about children’s happiness my mind turned to our visits to Triangle Therapy Services earlier this month, I realized that the common thread in those visits was the beautiful smiles on the children’s faces. Dalton, all smiles Dalton’s smile is memorable. Last fall, his smiles, grins, and giggles, accentuated with his dazzling dimples, lifted our spirits. When we met him again a few days ago, he was just as radiant.   “He’s doing amazing!” his mom, Angie, says. Dalton was born with cerebral palsy and has been in therapy all his life. In addition to physical therapy during his hippotherapy this summer, he’s been in intensive therapy at Cincinnati Children’s since last summer when he underwent surgery. He’s since grown three inches in his legs alone! He’s recently had Botox injections in his legs to relieve the spasticity; he’s just getting u...

Miller enjoying his job We gather outside the barn, leaning on the fence, to watch Miller at hippotherapy, while his brother, Andy, takes on the climbing wall in the playground behind us. Miller’s riding helmet covers his blond hair, and he’s hard at work this evening. While physical, occupational, and speech therapists create exercises that are also games, because children learn and grow through play, the tasks they design increase strength, ability, and coordination, and require concentration and effort. Miller was born with cerebral palsy and severe gastrointestinal problems. He’s undergone an ileostomy and he uses a wheelchair. At eight, he’s been doing therapy for years, and has received hippotherapy for the last two summers.  He’s in physical therapy at Triangle this summer, strengthening his core muscles tonight, including lots of reaching and stretching across Paco, his horse. These exercises improve Miller’s balance, strength, and coordination. It’s quite a workout, as P...

  Owen, Enjoying Hippotherapy  Owen’s already perched on Paco’s back in the arena when we arrive at Triangle Therapy this evening, and from the look on his face, it’s clear that he thinks hippotherapy is THE way to do physical therapy. Mid-exercise, he looks up, smiling as he sees us lined up along the fence, and waves.   What a welcome!  We’re thrilled to see Owen and his mom, Amanda, again. Since last summer, when Owen’s hippotherapy was focused on speech, he’s made great progress, Amanda tells us. “Your gift made such a difference – his speech has improved so much!” We watch as he completes each task his therapist, Shannon, gives him. He’s riding backwards, up on his hands and knees, (can you do this?), enjoying every moment. “He’ll try anything he’s asked to do in hippotherapy – he loves it!” Mom says. “When we’re at home during the week, he’ll say ‘hippotherapy!’ and he’s ready to go.” Just a few weeks ago, Owen had a cardiology appointment. He’s doing wel...