Chicken Soup For The Soul

© 2004 Jack Canfield & Mark Victor Hansen/King Features Syndicate

TOUCHED BY AN EQUINE

Melody Rogers-Kelley ©2002

(From "Chicken Soup for the Horse Lover’s Soul")

Emma arrived at the ranch on a typical Saturday morning about two and a half years ago. She was 5 years old and absolutely beautiful, with blue-green eyes, sun-kissed golden-brown hair and a smile that would melt even the coldest of hearts. Emma came to us because she was clinically diagnosed with autism, a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life. This precious child behaved like a windup toy.

"Emma, come here." "Get out of the tack room." "No, don’t eat the ball." "Emma, sit down." "NO, Emma," her mother’s words rang constantly. It would take two people to keep Emma still. On more than one occasion, she got into one of the stalls and tried to eat the horse’s rubber mats. Emma, to say the least, was in her own world.

I’ll never forget the day, the very moment that she first got on Horse Angel Dottie. When Dottie began to carry her new rider around the ring, the transformation was immediate. Gone was the uncontrollable child. In her place was a beaming, relaxed, confident little girl. Wow!

Ever since I’ve known Emma, she’s spoken only gibberish. "Saa pa awom nes sapa nom," she would say, smiling and laughing to herself. I longed to know what she was trying to say, and I could see in her eyes she wanted me to understand. We communicated on a different level, thanks to Dottie.

Emma’s been riding every week since her first visit. She’s an excellent equestrian. She loves to ride and has no fear. I take some credit for her riding prowess and courage, but the real honors go to Dottie.

Emma had been riding for about 18 months when she came for her usual Saturday lesson on an unusually hot, humid and dusty day. Nobody felt like working on this dog-day afternoon, especially yours truly and our Horse Angel Dottie. Nevertheless, as we stepped into the arena, I instructed Emma to give Dottie a little kick and say "walk," just as I had done a thousand times before. I tugged gently on Dottie’s lead rope and started to move forward when, all of a sudden, I heard a little voice say "walk." I stopped dead in my tracks. So did Dottie, whose ears were already pricked to the rear. "Emma, oh my God, Emma, you said ‘walk.’ You said ‘WALK!’" I shouted at the top of my lungs. "Your first word, Emma, your first word, and Dottie and I heard it." I don’t know who was more touched by that one fantastic word, Dottie, Emma or me. Emma was smiling and clapping her hands. She knew. Tears were streaming down my face. And Dottie, well, she quietly walked on, just as she’d been told. I felt an overwhelming joy and gratitude for that incredible moment and this wonderful Horse Angel. I believe with all my heart that this is the reason Emma is speaking today.

Emma’s vocabulary has increased to include the words "whoa," "yes," "no," "peanut butter," "red," "blue," "yellow," "green," the numbers 1 through 10, and Dottie’s and my personal favorite, "I love you."