Horse and Rider

The anual open house/fund raiser for Kanyon's hippo therapy place was a couple of weekends ago.  This year was extra fun because it was also their grand opening for the new sensory trail.  Up until now, most of the riding has gone on in the arena, but for about the last year, they have been working really hard setting up an area outside that has lots of different stations and activities appealing to all the senses.  Lots of people are really excited about it, but probably no one loves it as much as Kanyon!  Therefore, he was the choice to be the rider at the grand opening to show the crowd the different things the trail offers.  It was fun and he was in a great mood.  Clapping, cheering, and laughing the whole way.  Here are a few pictures from the afternoon.  

Waiting with Paw Paw for his turn to ride....

Before the ride while they were doing the ribbon cutting...Celia (on the right side of this pic) is his PT that comes to the house and also does his hippotherapy.  She's better than the best.  Debbie is the red head you can barely see and she usually leads klp's horse.  He really loves her.  We didn't even know he knew her name until one day a few months ago he got on the horse and said, "I wanna go, DEBBIE!"  haha! The one leading that day was Julia.  She doesn't work there anymore, but came back to help with the big day.  And of course, his horse is Kandy (bad name for a boy horse if you ask me).  We have lots of love for Kandy.  :) 

klp now rides with stirrups (yes they are tiny and yes they are SUPER short, its pretty cute) so that he can work on standing while riding.  He's doing really really well with it and he even did it going up hill which is way WAY harder.  Awesome!  Standing is only further distorting his perception of "riding horses".  We're pretty sure he's gonna think its normal to ride sideways, backwards and standing up. Maybe he has a future in trick riding.  

Going up the "bump bump" as he calls it.  Its big railroad ties up a hill that the horse has to step over, so it makes for a bumpy ride.  klp LOOOOVES it!  

Standing and reaching to put in/take out of the shapes.  While he's having to work for it they also tell him what color/shape to put it in so that he can learn those things too.  :) 

Celia knows him so well.  This station can have any number of things hanging on it.  She brought a basketball goal from her house because she had a sneaky suspicion klp might like it just a little.  :)  She was right! Basketball+ horse riding= perfection! 

A little family pic.  klp was showing off his medal he got after his ride. 

klp with Celia.  I mean really.  We owe her SOOOOOOO MUCH!  

Our good buddies the Rotzlers came to watch Kan Man ride.  Chandler (their daughter) is one of the boys favorite people and we are pregnant together due at the same time.  Fun stuff with great friends.  :)

A celebratory air lift on the way to the car! 

We really believe in the hippo therapy thing and are so very thankful that we are in an area where he can get this sort of therapy.