Hip...Hippo...Hippotherapy

We have been talking about and planning for this for months now. So when the day finally came for Kari to start Hippotherapy, simply saying we were all very excited is an understatement. I believe Annesa and I were even more excited than Kari. In case you are wondering what Hippotherapy is, it involves finding, taming and riding a hippopotamus.

I hope you didn't just believe that.

Hippotherapy is really a form of physical, occupational and speech therapy in which a therapist uses the movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input for people living with disabilities like Kari (Cerebral Palsy). Hippotherapy has been shown to improve kids' happiness and appreciation of their parents (Disclaimer: only tested in the Saunders family so try on your own kids with caution). Hippotherapy improves muscle tone, balance, posture, coordination, motor development as well as emotional well-being (proven fact).

Kari now does Hippotherapy once weekly and always looks forward to riding 'Dusty'. We go for his session when his school is about to have nap time (I'm advocating for these at work). One day, I was running a little late (got caught up at work) and his teachers told me he sat on his cot and refused to move or lie down. Whenever his teachers suggested anything to him he got sad and started to cry. When I got there, I found him in the bathroom changing. He wanted to 'pee' but was afraid I would come and leave him so he just sat there and did it on his cot.

Lesson: Never be late...especially for Kari's Hippotherapy.

Enjoy the video!