A tiny little bit of heart-failure

Most of you already know that R does weekly hippo-therapy (PT/OT on a horse!) through the "warmer" months of March through December each year. He absolutely loves it, and it is by far the most effective type of therapy we do for his core strength, motor planning, and self-confidence. He's been doing this type of therapy since just before he turned three years old, and he has done some crazy things on a horse thus far. He has ridden his horse, Gola, backwards, sideways, kneeling, laying down, and even standing up! R has done all of this therapeutic riding on the horse bareback while someone walks beside R as a bodyguard of sorts and someone else leads the horse from the front.

Well, today, all that changed...

I came into the barn this afternoon to see R steering the horse himself, with no volunteer bodyguards to make sure he didn't fall off. My little newly-turned 5 year old is using reins and steering the horse, all by himself, through a series of obstacles. He has been learning little things about starting, stopping, turning, and trotting in the last few months, and TODAY, without warning, Steph (his wonderful OT) had him put it all together. (Hence, the tiny little bit of heart-failure today.)

I couldn't have been more proud (or petrified) to see him doing it all with relative ease, without panic, and practically flawlessly. I plan to take a picture next week...a better picture taker would have had a camera today. But, for your viewing pleasure, I included a picture (for proof, because I wouldn't believe it, either) of R standing up on a horse last summer. I realize the picture is dark; the barn is a tough place to take good pictures because of the lighting. Yes, the horse is walking. Hopefully, I'll get a good picture next week while he shows off his new skill. Who knew my little R would actually be a budding horseman! I wonder if he will be bit by the riding bug?