Doing our bit to care for those that need our assistance.
it’s me Se-Chul. We Meet again.
The doctor told me to go and meet you.
He knows how much I dislike my physical therapy sessions and he told me about a friend that I would really enjoy meeting.
The first few times, I remember I couldn’t even sit on your back properly and all I could do was drool. After the sessions, all I could do was slump over and sleep all the way home, so much so that my mom worried quite a bit. But all I could think about was how both mom and the hippotherapist would say that I wasn’t up to it and that I should quit the program. Now my worry is a thing of the past as I lie stretched out on Dream’s long back. Today, the Volunteer who always helps me said that I hardly drooled and that me so happy. I’m so envious of Sun-ho in that he can lift the ball above his shoulders and throw it in the hoop, but my teacher says that with practice I’ll be able to do it too.
Dream, I know that you are dying to get out there and gallop away, but with me stuck on your back all you can do is plod along. But you don’t know how grateful I am to you for that. I know how you must feel.
Because I too sometimes wish I could escape my wheelchair and run around like crazy.
The person that Se-chul is so envious of is a 3 year old boy. You wouldn’t know by looking at him that he is disabled, but sitting on top of a horse you can see that Sun-ho’s body is tilting to the right. “Sun-ho has no strength in the left side of his body. All of his strength has shifted to the right. He has no sense of balance. Because he lacks minor muscle control, it is hard for him to grip a pencil or to even use sicssors”, says his mother Eun-hee SEO calmly. So to Sun-ho this Dream of a pony is his best mate who helps him improve his sense of balance.
Sitting on top of Dream, Sun-ho needs to balance his body and hold his weight with his waist. Then his left leg which is usually sort of dangling in mid-air begins to experience the smallest of pressure and because he wants to control the pressure, begins to move both this legs against the movement of the pony.
The volunteers assisted Sun-ho to Dream. The volunteer placed one hand on Sun-ho’s hip to naturally induce Sun-ho to straighten his waist and the other hand went to help hold Sun-ho’s foot. This is the role of the volunteer. Then there is a groom to help steady Dream. Sun-ho, volunteer and groom become a 3 person team. The first 30 minutes of the session is walking with Sun-ho around the course. Responding to the commands of the therapist, the three of them each work to create that balance. “The 3 working to co-ordinate their movements is very important. Sun-ho needs to adjust to Dream’s speed and gain his balance, Dream and the groom need to control their speed so that Sun-ho won’t be too tired and the volunteer needs to walk in coordination with Sun-ho and Dream”, says Amy Lee, physical therapist RD-Samsung.Little by little the level of difficulty is raised for Sun-ho. Sun-ho is asked to lift a small ball above his head, rest it on top of his shoulder, stretch out his arm and give the ball to the volunteer standing a few feet away. By trying out various different senses to improve and negotiate his own balance, 30 minutes fly for Sun-ho.
Se-chul, Sun-ho, Kyu-suk and So-yeon are all friends who for the past 6 months have been part of the riding for the disabled program managed by Samsung-RD. As a result of many people hearing about the benefits of riding for the disabled, many people have signed up for the program. Unfortunately, the center is only able to take on 12 at a time and only those recommended by doctors at the Samsung Hospital is eligible to sign up.
“So-yeon can feel the strength in her stomach and waist. I can definitely see the difference the day of her physical therapy when she has had hippotherapy the day before. The physical therapy she receives after her body has become more flexible from riding is much more effective’, says So-yeon’s mother Jung-nam CHOI. Normally a very timid girl, So-yeon is always ready to go riding with Dream and Finale adds her mother.
Of these children, the improvement in Se-chul is the most dramatic. Before he could barely control his body within the confines of his wheelchair and could barely sit on top of Dream, now smiles confidently as he rides around the course. “I’m sure he’s physically tired, but from looking at his eyes, I can tell how much he likes Dream. For a boy who knew realistically that it would be difficult for him to visit a zoo, he is now able to hear the familiar breathing of his friend at such proximity and he is so happy.
In the beginning I was worried that this program would be too hard for Se-chul, but with the improvements I see every day, I can’t be more happy,” says Se-chul’s mom Hye-jung SHIN. Now, Se-chul sits atop Dream and shouts “giddy up” at the top of his voice.
“It was a great experience to undergo a new type of therapy as it really helped to broaden our perspectives. My son’s bone rigidity tends to be quite severe, but watching him ride a horse and seeing his bones loosen up and gain strength was amazing. Other than the physical changes I noticed in my sons, I must say it was heartwarming and gratifying to see so many volunteers offer so much time and effort to my son’s rehabilitation.”
Mrs. Yoon Ju CHO, 31, mother of Kun Hoon Paik“During his usual therapy sessions, Se Chul would often be in tears because of the pain and severity of his rigidity. But with hippotherapy, not only did his muscles have a tendency to loosen up naturally and more easily, but he also looked forward to the therapy and viewed it as something fun, which was a real plus. Eversince hippotherapy sessions, Se Chul’s gait has become much softer and his posture easier to correct. It’s too bad we can’t keep a horse at home! Even if cost is involved, I’d love to find a stable that offered hippotherapy as a more long term method of therapy.”
Hae Jung SHIN, 40, mother of Se Chul ParkUsing materials prohibited without consent
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