Hey guys! Heather signing on! For my Tikkun Olam project, I volunteered at Parkwood Farm, a place that helps kids with autism. It is great, because I was helping kids while also hanging out with horses, which you all probably know is basically my favorite thing EVER! In case you were wondering, horse back riding helps kids with autism because….
1. Most autistic kids are not aware of how hard or how gently to touch things, which makes it hard for them to hang out with cats or dogs who usually do not like any type of roughhousing. Because horses are big animals and very calm, they do not really care how hard or how rough people touch them, so the kids can become better with sensory engagement.
2. When a horse responds to kids with autism, it gives them a sense of pride. This helps the kids develop social and communication skills, because in a way, they are communicating with the horse, and the horse will respond to the child’s body language.
3. Lastly, when they ride horses, it helps the child develop motor skills such as balance, flexibility, and muscle strength, which is an important part of our lives.
There were always tons of different kids there riding. There was a girl that had been going there since she was very young. She had excellent memory, and kept asking where Sparky was. I was told that Sparky was a pony that had been with Parkwood farm for a very long time, but was recently sold. I saw that girl often. There was another girl who was so young that she was not even in elementary school yet. That girl had problems with her legs. If she was not held onto, her feet would slide right out of the stirrups. There was a boy, who constantly screamed and made weird noises. There were the “Three Amigos”, as everyone called them, who were two sisters and a brother. Overall, it was a great experience and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to help kids while still doing what I love.