Health/Wellness — May 11, 2011 at 10:22 am

The Horse Boy Method – Autism-spectrum alternative therapy

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[Photo: Owned by Horse Boy Method]

 

If you’ve seen the outstanding documentary film The Horse Boy [or read the book of the same name], you know about super-father Rupert Isaacson’s quest to assist his autistic son Rowan improve his functionality by traveling to Mongolia and experiencing horse therapy [among other things, like shamanistic healing].  If you haven’t seen the film, it is definitely worthwhile to rent.  Here’s the trailer:

Rupert & Rowan’s experiences with the benefits of horse therapy led them to create The Horse Boy Method – a therapeutic riding program focused on neurological issues – they work to desensitize the person with autism through contact with horses.  It is absolutely fascinating…
I don’t know a great deal about it, but after watching several of the videos on their website Horse Boy Method Website , and reading some of the information, I have to say that some of the ameliorations in the autistic children is simply amazing [and very moving].  Here’s a little video by Rupert as an introduction to the Horse Boy Method:

I have a couple of questions regarding this: 1) do any of you have experience with horse therapy? 2) Which alternative therapies have you tried for treatment of autism that have been most successful?
As a person with a family member with autism, I would like to know about as many therapies as possible…
Thanks!