Children with ADD Tune in

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Children with ADD learn to "Tune-in" when they learn to Ride

by Janice Terra

"Pay attention!" "Listen to what you're told!" "You've got to pay better attention" "Try harder." "Do it now!" "You are not listening!" And the litany goes on. A fragile ego, housed in a body of a young confused child withdraws even more. The valley which seems to separate him or her from others seems to get wider and wider. The gulf looks impossible to breach. The child feels as if he is at war with the entire world. In war, you attack or defend; assault or withdraw. Which shall it be? And when? His hear cries out, "Is there anything, anything at all that I can possibly do right, when it seems as though everything I do is wrong?" Such is the world of a child with ADD.

His parents may feel as though their prayers go unanswered. Can God not see the pain that their beautiful child is in? Are there any good answers? Must this healthy child be relegated to a life controlled by drugs at such a young age? Tough questions. Tough decisions.

God has never forgotten us. He has not ignored the pleas of His beloved children. In fact, He has made a solution for every "problem"- even before the "problem" existed. The answer has always been there. He loves us that much.

The horse is truly one of God's greatest gifts to mankind. The lessons that they teach us and the healing they render are phenomenal, not to mention how they helped us to explore our world, plough our fields, and carry us wherever we needed to go. Such a blessed gift are they!

A child with ADD can benefit tremendously from learning how to ride a horse. One of the great things about a horse is-they are a horse! As simple as that sounds, it is a very beneficial aspect in reclaiming the child's attention…and keeping it. All children get so used to being told what to do by grownups, that they frequently will just tune them right out. Take a child with ADD-and multiply the "tune-out" factor many times. The adult becomes non-impactful.

Let me share a story with you. Last spring I had a child come to me for lessons. The mother mentioned that her child had ADD, and I assured her that it would not be a problem in my lesson program. By Fall, this delightful child had made good progress. Her mother then related to me the following . In the Spring they had a conference with the little girl's teachers and principal, who unanimously felt that it would be in the best interest of the child to hold her back a grade. The tenacious mother begged them, "Please don't. Let me try this one last thing, let me see if these horseback riding lessons will help."

She had read somewhere that "hippotherapy" could help such a situation. The principal and teachers acquiesced, and the child was given another chance. When her next six-month report cards came out, the child had been in lessons for about six months. For the first time in the child's life she made straight "A's", and for the first time she made straight "E's" in conduct. The teachers, principal and even the grandparents could see a huge difference in the child's attitude and confidence level.
The mother told me this story with tears in her eyes, and believe me, it was all I could do to keep my tears intact as I learned how my "guys" (as I call my horses) had made such a difference in this child's life.

This is how it works: picture this, a child is put up on a horse. Now, they are about five feet up in the air. That can get their attention! Especially when what they are "on" is alive and moving! When a child is learning how to ride, if he doesn't listen to and follow instructions exactly-the horse won't work right. The horse, then, simply does whatever he wants. When you are sitting astride 1200 pounds with a mind of its own, and it doesn't do what you want, the feeling that arises is much like that of being on a runaway freight train.

Instinctually, then, the child's defense mechanism of "I really prefer to live through this experience" kicks in, and he automatically pays more attention to the task at hand. His instinct for survival overrides his tendency towards "attention-less." Conversely, when the student does exactly as directed by the instructor, things usually work very well, and he gets the instant feedback of being in harmony and feeling in control.

For a child whose life feels out of control most of the time, his is an enormously rewarding experience, which helps to dramatically elevate their self-esteem. To be able to control 1200 pounds with minimal effort is maximally rewarding, not to mention that it's also fun! Thank-you God for your glorious gift.

Namiste, my friends, until next time.

Janice offers riding instruction, equestricize and workshops

Janice Terra has had over twenty-seven years experience with horses. She has been called "The Lady Horse Whisperer of Texas". Janice has developed a unique exercise program for "Equisizing" which was named one of the best programs in Houston by The Houston Press in 1999. She also conducts powerful riding meditations for all levels of riders, including the "never ridden". To experience the unique programs offered by Janice Terra: call 281-705-8188

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