Horseback Riding Helps Treasure Valley Kids with Autism and ADHD
It's been proven that horseback riding helps kids with Autism and ADHD improve strength and dexterity, but the benefits don't stop there. We've got the best horseback riding spots around the Treasure Valley so all of us can make the most of it.
If you don't have someone with autism or ADHD in your family, chances are your son or daughter knows someone at school that's challenged by it. One in six kids in the Treasure Valley has one of these neurodevelopmental disorders, and physical activity is usually something that helps them.
A new study shows the short- and long-term effects of a program combining horseback riding and cognitive training to boost strength and improve motor skills. The kids in the study took part in programs ranging from eight weeks to one year, and the programs included weekly introductory horseback riding sessions, and time with a speech therapist two to three times per week. After the program, parents and teachers said they noticed a difference in the kids' behavior and academic performance, and better social and communication skills.
I've got a friend that rides horses once a week purely for the love of it. Horses are majestic, interesting, and fun creatures! I used to ride my grandpa's horses growing up on a farm in Nebraska and loved everything about them right down to the snorts and stomps, and the smell of the oat pellets that they crunched after a ride. I felt like the horse understood me, and that was a big deal for a junior high kid dealing with junior high pressures. I would put my forehead on the horse's forehead (or fivehead...it was huge) and we'd have a moment, and I felt like the horse understood that school was tough and life was hard sometimes. All of us could probably use a little more horse therapy no matter what we're going through.
If you ride horses in the Treasure Valley, where do you go?
Yelp says these are the 10 Best Horseback Riding Spots around Boise.
1. Arabians West - 2045 E Amity Rd
2. Willowgate Farms - 2820 Wingate Ln
3. Jumper’s Sport Horses - Emmett
4. Talbert Performance Horses - 182 S Trek Ln
5. Mittleider Eventing - 400 Cow Horse Dr
If you have a better one, let us know!
As more benefits of horseback riding are proven, Idaho may see even more ranches pop up that offer some good ole horseriding therapy.