Post by andrewsmom on Apr 6, 2006 13:13:36 GMT -5
Yup... went and saw the horses yesterday. ;D
Let me give you all the short version. We were there for an hour and Andrew growled at the horses for the first half hour.
The owners kept saying..."oh he's doing great" and I was thinking...."ummm can you not hear him growling?
" I was thinking, ok I gave it a shot but this is really not going to work.
With the patience of saints, they had me hold Andrew and every so often would say things like "ok mom, take a step to the right" or ok, now move in closer, step to the left...etc. The owner brought out different kinds of brushes for the horse and had my daughter brush the horse for a few minutes with Andrew watching. Then he brought out a brush that was shaped like a "u" and began brushing the horse using both his hands on the brush. He stepped in closer to myself and Andrew and kind of pressed his shoulder up to mine, and asked me not to move (do I have to tell you what I was thinking? Yeah...this guys a quack!). Then he turns to Andrew and says, "ok buddy, now I need you to help me brush the horse". I'm still thinking...this is sooo not going to work. Well, he lets go of one side of the U shaped brush, and doesn't my stubborn son < who never listens to a word I say, grab onto the handle and start brushing the horse! I was SHOCKED! He was just growling two minutes ago and now he's brushing the horse like it's nothing! Now who's the quack?!
They then switched to a smaller brush and then a smaller one until there was no brush and Andrew was stroking the horse with his hand. It was amazing! If you all could have heard the growls coming out of this child...I couldn't believe it.
They got Andrew so comfortable he was letting the horse lick his hand and before we left, even put his whole head in for a kiss (open mouthed...YUCK!!). It was really an amazing experience.
They asked me to come back one more time before we start the therapy. They said Andrew will probably growl again but should become comfortable more quickly next time. Yes....I will now listen to the professionals as I, myself, am just a quack! LOL!
-Trisha
Let me give you all the short version. We were there for an hour and Andrew growled at the horses for the first half hour.
The owners kept saying..."oh he's doing great" and I was thinking...."ummm can you not hear him growling?
" I was thinking, ok I gave it a shot but this is really not going to work. With the patience of saints, they had me hold Andrew and every so often would say things like "ok mom, take a step to the right" or ok, now move in closer, step to the left...etc. The owner brought out different kinds of brushes for the horse and had my daughter brush the horse for a few minutes with Andrew watching. Then he brought out a brush that was shaped like a "u" and began brushing the horse using both his hands on the brush. He stepped in closer to myself and Andrew and kind of pressed his shoulder up to mine, and asked me not to move (do I have to tell you what I was thinking? Yeah...this guys a quack!). Then he turns to Andrew and says, "ok buddy, now I need you to help me brush the horse". I'm still thinking...this is sooo not going to work. Well, he lets go of one side of the U shaped brush, and doesn't my stubborn son < who never listens to a word I say, grab onto the handle and start brushing the horse! I was SHOCKED! He was just growling two minutes ago and now he's brushing the horse like it's nothing! Now who's the quack?!
They then switched to a smaller brush and then a smaller one until there was no brush and Andrew was stroking the horse with his hand. It was amazing! If you all could have heard the growls coming out of this child...I couldn't believe it.
They got Andrew so comfortable he was letting the horse lick his hand and before we left, even put his whole head in for a kiss (open mouthed...YUCK!!). It was really an amazing experience.
They asked me to come back one more time before we start the therapy. They said Andrew will probably growl again but should become comfortable more quickly next time. Yes....I will now listen to the professionals as I, myself, am just a quack! LOL!
-Trisha
