Variety of Southern CA supports organizations that provide Equestrian Therapy to children with disabilities. The therapeutic benefits of the horse were recognized as early as 460 BC. The three dimensional gait of a horse is similar to the gait of a human and cannot be replicated by any physical therapy machine. So PHYSICALLY, Equestrian Therapy helps a child with special needs by improving balance, stability, muscle strength and coordination. COGNITIVALLY it enhances speech, communication skills and intellectual abilities. And EMOTIONALLY, on father of a disabled child says it best: “slip a child into a saddle and disabilities melt away, boundaries vanish and all things become possible!”