to swim, dance and play pretend with her teddies, but her primary focus is on learning to talk, which is how she ended up on a horse at Naples Equestrian Challenge (NEC). “I recommended equine-as-
sisted therapy for Claire because of her Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS),” says Jennifer Mill- er, M.D., pediatric endocrinologist at the University of Florida. Claire knows what she wants to say, but because of the CAS (caused by her Prader-Willi), her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say the words. Equine-assisted therapy uses
Amanda. She can now also say “mama,” “dada,” “poo” and, alas, the word “no.” According to NEC equine-
equine activities and the equine environment in order to promote physical, occupational and emo- tional growth. Claire receives equine-assisted therapy every week at NEC. Because a horse’s gait mimics the movement of a hu-
“At first, she couldn’t even sit up or hold the reins,” says her mom Amanda. “Now she is pushing me away so she can do it all by herself. It’s really be- come her special thing and her favorite day of the week.”
man pelvis while walking, riders receive physical, sensory and neurological stimulation. The variable, rhythmic and repetitive movement Claire experiences on a horse translates into opportunities for her to form new motor pathways for speech and language development and helps her build the core strength, trunk control and breath support that are also important for speech development. “I love, love, love equine-assisted therapy for my patients,”
says Miller. “It helps kids with Prader-Willi syndrome in so many ways by strengthening their core muscles, geting their voices going, decreasing the severity of scoliosis, and it’s a great muscle-building physical activity.” Aſter a year of riding Pick-a-Spot, NEC’s polka-doted
Leopard Appaloosa, Claire’s progress speaks for itself. “At first, she couldn’t even sit up or hold the reins,” says her mom Amanda. “Now she is pushing me away so she can do it all by herself. It’s really become her special thing and her favorite day of the week.” As far as her speech, she’s made significant strides. “Her
voice is very quiet when she’s concentrating on speaking, but she does try to tell her horse to ‘whoa’ and ‘walk on,’ and she loves to introduce herself with a loud and proud ‘hi,’” says
22 JULY - OCTOBER
therapy instructor Lea Haven, Claire is a great example of what progress looks like in equine- assisted therapy, both physically and socially. “She started out very, very shy but has become a social buterfly, waving and pet- ting her horse. Her balance has improved as well as her hand/ eye coordination and, of course, she’s saying a few words.” Miller is also encouraged by
Claire’s progress. “I wanted to see her core strength improved, and it has, but most importantly, I wanted to see her talking, and she is definitely learning to use her voice.” Knowing that Claire
has a reason to smile every week is also important to Miller, since she can be a prety serious patient at her quarterly check-ups. Claire will likely face new challenges as she grows due to
her Prader-Willi Syndrome. But for now, she’ll continue to dance and laugh and find her voice with Pick-a-Spot every week, never forgeting to kiss his photo just before bedtime. Thanks to equine-assisted therapy coupled with weekly
speech and occupational therapy, Amanda is confident that Claire will be a chaterbox before too long. Until then, she’s just grateful for what NEC has done so far for her spirited litle girl. “Claire works so incredibly hard every day of her life to keep up with her peers and to be heard when she has no words,” says Amanda. “NEC provides her with an opportunity to find her voice, build her confidence and feel like she belongs, which makes it an irreplaceable experience for all of us.” Naples Equestrian Challenge offers equine-assisted
therapy to children and adults with special needs regardless of ability to pay. The 20-year-old organization is currently ex- panding its facility to alleviate its wait list and serve an addi- tional 200+ individuals annually. But it needs the community’s support! For more information about the NEC Barn Raising Capital Campaign, which will fund the $4 million expansion, please call 239-596-2988 or visit
www.NaplesEquestrianChal-
lenge.org. ◆
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