Hippotherapy pictures!

Last Friday Mia got on the horse at her first "real" session of hippotherapy (which I explained here, so read up if you haven't already!), and I was there with the camera! So let's check it out!

Here she is getting ready. She fussed with the helmet for a second, but then ignored it.


Here she is getting on the horse. She wasn't freaked out at all, which we thought she might be.


Ready to go!


First they took her around a rodeo-style yard just to get her used to the horse, I guess.


She's looking happy!


Then they took her through the obstacle course! It's actually just a part with stuff to do, like the noodles hanging from the tree. Mia passed through those without even noticing them!


They took her over by the basketball court so she could shoot some hoops. I would have gotten closer but I was keeping an eye on Thing #2, who wouldn't go over there.


More action Mia!


The noodle tree had other stuff hanging from it, which the kids are encouraged to reach for and such. Mia liked the twirly things ...


... and the small medicine ball thing, although she didn't actually hit it, just push it.


All in all, she had a lot of fun.


What, you might ask, was Miss Norah doing throughout this session? Well, Miss Norah was sizing up her new nemesis: the cat that lives at the clinic. Norah was obsessed with the cat, and just a bit frightened, which is strange because she's so friendly with Smokey. I have a feeling that this cat, which was very friendly, freaked her out a bit, because she used to chasing Smokey because he doesn't want to be bothered. So she was a bit wary around the cat, but wouldn't walk anywhere unless the cat was around. And when we left, she screamed bloody murder a bit because her new friend/nemesis wasn't coming with us.

As you can see, the cat was very friendly. It wanted to ride home with us in Mia's wheelchair!


Here's Norah checking out Mia, one of the few times she ignored the cat.


The shadows cast by the setting sun make this art, don't you know.


Norah points out her adversary!


Norah finally comes face to face with the cat, who casually ignores her! Oh, the humiliation!


Mia had a very nice time, and she worked pretty hard - her therapist held her up with a belt strapped around her waist, but she wasn't keeping her rigid, so Mia had to use her trunk to keep upright. That's the whole point, after all! So we're looking forward to more therapy, because she enjoys it and it will crossover into other aspects of her life. And she gets to ride a horse!

(I'm supposed to mention that her therapist reminds us of my sister-in-law. She doesn't exactly look like her, but she resembles her, and she has similar hair, a similar way of speaking, and a similar way of moving. It's freaky. And her name - Noel - is Shauna's middle name. Spooky! So if you're reading this, Shauna, we found your sort-of twin, and she's a physical therapist in Mesa.)