A beleaguered woman was trying to cope with her daughter. She was born mentally disabled. The woman learned of an Akim horse program for children with special needs.

“Do you take kids with special needs?” she tentatively asked during her initial call to the local Akim center. The program operates under the professional supervision of the AKIM Department for Recreational Activities

Nechama  is director of the Akim horse therapy program. She remembers the call. “I told her we don’t turn anybody away.”

On any given day, small groups of youngsters gather at several facilities in Israel. Some have immediately visible disabilities like Down Syndrome, autism or cerebral palsy. Some battle internal challenges, such as learning disabilities or emotional disorders. Some are violent and aggressive. Others are downright “mean.”

During eight weeks of equine therapy, the children learn to interact with the horses. They learn lessons in safety and grooming. Beyond the equestrian skills, they learn to control the horse, the situation and, ultimately, themselves.

The programs focus on establishing positive, reciprocal relationships between the horse and child. The program was established in the late 1990s, after several years of research in Israel and Abroad

For six years, Crews studied the effect of sports and exercise on children with special needs. She studied the effect of everything from basketball, golf, swimming, and mini-trampolines, to bicycles and weightlifting.

 "The most consistently positive intervention was the horse therapy,” says Doron Naveh, who has a bachelor’s degree in education, a master’s in exercise physiology, and a doctorate in sports psychology.

Many scientists think that horse therapy is the most effective because the intervention combines movement therapy with animal therapy. “You actually have two therapies at work,”.

The programs include an eight-week horse program, horse riders showed significantly greater improvements in reaction time, movement time, self-esteem, reduced depression, and decreased anxiety when compared to non-riders. Autistic riders showed strengthened self-esteem. The riders also demonstrated enhanced perceptual motor abilities and an improved psychological status.

It really says a lot about the impact horses can make on kids of that population,” stresses Batya, who is working to complete a master’s degree in counseling from Hebrew University.

“Children seem naturally drawn to horses,” she says. “It isn’t hard to get them to do their therapy, or to complete the number of sessions that they need to complete. That’s really why the research led to such a successful outreach program. It is just so powerful, so popular, and so easy to get the kids to do.”

Animals have long been touted for their therapeutic benefits. Horses are especially effective. Crews says that horses are generally able to interpret a person’s emotions and will mirror those emotions. For example, if a participant is upset and tense, then the horse will be tense and upset. But when the child is comfortable and confident, the horse will relax and follow the child’s lead.

Like all good relationships, the bond between a horse and child must be based on mutual respect. Horses can be loyal, obedient, and good listeners. But their respect must first be earned.

Horses are immense animals. They can be intimidating. They also can be frustrating because they force the child to communicate congruently with words and body language. Akim Program specifically uses these qualities, challenges, and opportunities to encourage change and growth in each child.

Equine therapy results in different benefits for different children, depending upon their unique needs. A child with a severe physical disability can leave her wheelchair behind. She can guide her horse through obstacles and places she otherwise could not venture alone. For the child who is emotionally at-risk, the experience can help with developing trust, love, and communication skills.

The list of success stories for the Akim horse therapy programs is long. One child with autism was able to speak for the first time after completing the program. Another child with severe trust and abandonment issues was able to bond with her horse and tell it she loves it. Another child with a severe drooling problem was able to relate to how the horses held the bits in their mouths and learned to control his own mouth.

For Crews, these positive results come with the hope that interventions such as equine therapy may some day reduce or perhaps even replace medication for these children.

Akim horse therapy programs are funded primarily through grants and private donations. It features a mobile program that takes several horses on the road each week working in small groups of 5 persons each. About 100 groups could potentially be put together annual

It also goes to local schools and group homes. The program has contracted a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and speech therapist to enhance its offerings.

The growth and success of the program has certainly validated Crews’ research. One need only watch the children and horses interact to see the benefits at work.

Just ask Nechama  about that “mean” girl who ultimately joined the program.

During an initial session, the child held her horse while Nechama  gave instructions to the group. The horse began licking its lips and the girl was initially fearful, worried the giant animal would bite her. Nechama  explained the ways in which horses communicate with people and that this nonverbal cue meant the animal liked her, had accepted her as a leader, and would now follow her directions.

“That was one of the most magical experiences for that girl. She’d never had anybody listen to her, to want to be her partner and respect her,” Nechama explains.

“The moment we were able to explain what that horse was doing, her whole dynamic changed. She was totally soft. She was not hard and mean. She didn’t have those walls and those barriers up anymore. When you see those barriers melt, that’s when you know why you’re there.”

Daniel Bar-am

Akim Israel