Our Children

The best way to make children good is to make them happy

Oscar Wilde

Here are the success stories of our children written by their parents and supplemented by the hippotherapist. We will keep putting new stories and updating the old ones and will make this page a kind of diary of the hippotherapist and the parents.

Ani

Born: 2001
Problem: CB, weak muscles
Attending since: June, 2009

Written at July, 2010

Mother Lilia: My child is 8 years old, she has CB, and her coordination is very disturbed. Constant searches for new rehabilitation methods for my daughter brought me to Centaur hippotherapy center. I was surprised to see two young guys – Borya and Hasmik there who despite all difficulties and obstacles persistently were practicing rehabilitation of the children.

My daughter liked the place at once. She found there that calm and spontaneous atmosphere which our children, especially living in the city need so much. Unlike other places here the child was not just treated but also was in touch with nature and domestic animals such as horses, goats, dogs, cats. I have to add that my daughter overcame her fear to big dogs at this center! During the few months of hippotherapy I could not help wondering how calm and obedient horses were during the sessions. Later Hasmik explained that for such a work horses with calm character are chosen and then trained especially for working with children.

Levon Ghoukasyan

Born: 2001
Problem:spastic tetraparesis
Attending since: December, 2008

Written at July, 2010

Mother Anoush: We have been attending hippotherapy sessions for around a year, with little breaks. We alternate hippotherapy sessions with sessions in the Children’s State Rehabilitation Center. The horse’s positive impact on Levon was visible a month after we started sessions. The first and biggest success was we stopped taking medicine for relaxing spastic muscles which Levon was taking for 2 years. Then he started rolling from back to belly (before he could do it only from belly to back). Hands’ spastic muscles got pretty much relaxed; hips’ muscles which were strained like a whip are totally relaxed and hardly touched after getting off the horse. Sitting and standing skills got improved a lot; the child now sits at the table on a backless chair (before the chair not only had to have a back but also an insurer next to him) and stands holding at the table. He lessened crossing legs while walking (held by both hands).

Hippotherapist: The biggest problem of Levon was even not his physical weakness but an absolute absence of stimulus to improve. Now apart from the physical development mentioned by his Mom there are also big changes in Levon’s psychological behavior. He became more confident, many fears disappeared and a stimulus to move forward and be independent appeared. He learnt to keep his back straight on the horse, to hold the rains in the air not touching the saddle (a very hard position for him) and to maintain balance on the horse with his legs only.

Levon Apetyan

Born: 2006
Problem: infection in perinatal period
Attending since: June, 2009

Written at July, 2010

Mother Liana: My child Levon had an infection in perinatal period, so it had had a negative influence on his future mental development. The consequence is that my son doesn’t speak now. Levon is included in different rehabilitation programs. The great part among the programs belongs to the hippotherapy. We have practiced several months since June 2009 without interruption. We notice some positive results in our child’s behavior. He becomes more concentrated, he begins to manage his emotions, and the perception becomes more positive. His steps are conscious and targetable which was absent some months ago. He likes animals very much, especially horses. After winter holidays we notice great enthusiasm and wish to go there as to ride a horse and play with him.

Hippotherapist: Not sociable al all, no mimicry, only two emotions expressed by the same screaming… that is our first memories on Levon. A year passed from that first time we saw Levon. Now, after a year of combined therapy including hippotherapy Levon is a sweet child with lots of emotions and rich mimicry. Now he stopped screaming on every occasion. He laughs with a sound and already pronounces few words.