Born: 2004
Problem: infection in perinatal period
Attendance: June, 2009 - up to date
Progress recorded at: July 2010

Mother Liana: My child Levon had an infection in perinatal period, so it had had a negative influence on his future mental development. The consequence is that my son doesn’t speak now. Levon is included in different rehabilitation programs. The great part among the programs belongs to the hippotherapy. We have practiced several months since June 2009 without interruption. We notice some positive results in our child’s behavior. He becomes more concentrated, he begins to manage his emotions, and the perception becomes more positive. His steps are conscious and targetable which was absent some months ago. He likes animals very much, especially horses. After winter holidays we notice great enthusiasm and wish to go there as to ride a horse and play with him.

Age: 2001
Problem: CP, weak muscles, disturbed coordination, inability to walk with no support, lack of stimulus
Attendance: June 2009 - up to date
Progress recorded at: July 2010

Mother Lilia: My child is 8 years old, she has CP, and her coordination is very disturbed. Constant searches for new rehabilitation methods for my daughter brought me to Centaur hippotherapy center. I was surprised to see two young guys – Borya and Hasmik there who despite all difficulties and obstacles persistently were practicing rehabilitation of the children.

My daughter liked the place at once. She found there that calm and spontaneous atmosphere which our children, especially living in the city need so much. Unlike other places here the child was not just treated but also was in touch with nature and domestic animals such as horses, goats, dogs, cats. I have to add that my daughter overcame her fear to big dogs at this center! During the few months of hippotherapy I could not help wondering how calm and obedient horses were during the sessions. Later Hasmik explained that for such a work horses with calm character are chosen and then trained especially for working with children.

Born: 2001
Problem:spastic tetraparesis
Attendance: December 2008 - June 2010
Progress recorded at: July 2010

Mother Anoush: We have been attending hippotherapy sessions for around a year, with little breaks. We alternate hippotherapy sessions with sessions in the Children’s State Rehabilitation Center. The horse’s positive impact on Levon was visible a month after we started sessions. The first and biggest success was we stopped taking medicine for relaxing spastic muscles which Levon was taking for 2 years. Then he started rolling from back to belly (before he could do it only from belly to back). Hands’ spastic muscles got pretty much relaxed; hips’ muscles which were strained like a whip are totally relaxed and hardly touched after getting off the horse. Sitting and standing skills got improved a lot; the child now sits at the table on a backless chair (before the chair not only had to have a back but also an insurer next to him) and stands holding at the table. He lessened crossing legs while walking (held by both hands).

Born:2003
Problem:autism
Attendance: November 2008 – December 2009
Progress recorded at: October 2009

Mother Lusine: : I have started taking my son to different specialists since 1.5 years old when I noticed him step by step losing his speech, eye contact and almost any reaction to the outer world. Time was passing but my son’s condition would not get better. In some cases he would behave like a genius – i.e. he adores reading and seems to understand what he reads though has never been taught reading. Or he feels like a cat when someone has health problems or something bad is going to happen. But on the other side he had no social and practical skills: he would not even eat or go to toilet on his own; avoided crowded places, refused traveling in public transport…