Kristina, the mother of identical twins Chloe and Olivia, felt her five-year-old daughters seemed to hit a wall in their traditional clinical therapies for developmental delay.  She started looking for a therapy that would be fun and keep the girls engaged.  She found it at the
J. F.  Shea Therapeutic Riding Center.  When they learned they were going to ride a horse, the girls were thrilled.

Chloe and Olivia are very social and upon arrival at The Shea Center, they run to give all the therapists and instructors hugs.  Last year, when they attended Shea Summer Horse Camp, they met Ellie and made a new friend.

The girls have participated in both occupational and physical therapies at The Shea Center and are now in the adaptive riding program and making great progress.  They thrive on sensory input and would gladly do any barn chores assigned to them.  Kristina says, “Animals seem to lessen their anxiety.  After riding at Shea, the girls seem more comfortable in their own skin.  They are gaining strength through the animals.  Being around the horses is making them more responsible and they are becoming more organized.”

At their grandparents’ home, their favorite toys are a barn, a stable, and horse figurines. So far, Chloe’s favorite horse is Alik, and Olivia’s is Merry.  In addition to horseback riding, the girls also participate in dance class, swimming, and softball.