Help on Hooves

04/03/2026

Go check out this awesome event hosted by the Gulf Coast ABLE Academy, Inc! James, we hope you have the best time and we know you are going to shine! ✨ 💫🇺🇸🎶

04/02/2026

If you’ve ever wondered who keeps the magic running behind the scenes at Help on Hooves… let us introduce you to the legend himself: Mr. Roy. 🐴✨💪

Mr. Roy is the definition of “the volunteer who does the mostest.” Late nights 🌙, early mornings ☀️—if something needs to get done, he’s already halfway through fixing it before anyone even asks. 🔧⚡️

Dirt work? Done. 🚜
Electrical? Handled. 💡
Plumbing? Of course. 🚿
Random “how are we going to make this work?” projects? Somehow… also done. 😅👏

For years, he’s been quietly pouring his time, energy, and heart into making Help on Hooves what it is today—helping turn a dream into a place where families can access the incredible benefits of hippotherapy right here in our community. 🐎🧠💛

And the best part? He’s still going—constantly finding ways to make things better, safer, and more accessible for every current and future family who walks through our gates. ♿️✨🏡

Mr. Roy, we see you. We appreciate you. And we are SO incredibly thankful for everything you do. 🙌💛👏

If you ever meet him, make sure to show him some love and let him know just how much we appreciate him! ❤️

04/02/2026

🐴🧠✨ Moro Reflex at Home ✨🧠🐴

No horse? No problem! 🏠💚

🔙 Remember our previous post on Moro reflex integration using hippotherapy?

Here’s how you can support that same reflex at home with simple, intentional movement.

If your child tends to be easily startled, anxious, or overwhelmed, their nervous system may be stuck in “alert mode” 🚨

These activities help bring the body back to a more calm, organized state through controlled movement and input.

✨ Try this simple sequence:
🛏️ Start lying on the back (supine)
⬆️ Reach overhead to grab a ring or toy
🤲 Bring it back toward the body with control
🎯 Sit up and place it into a basket or onto a target
👉 Repeat slowly and with control (not fast!) to help the brain and body communicate more effectively

✨ You can also try:
🫂 Big hugs or pillow squeezes for deep pressure
🌀 Slow rocking or swinging
🐻 “Tuck and open” games (curl into a ball → slowly stretch out)

💡 Keep it playful, predictable, and pressure-free—this is about supporting regulation, not perfection

Every child’s nervous system is unique, and small, consistent activities can make a big difference over time 💫

🎉 Want a quick guide? Check the comments for a free printable with easy ideas to try at home!

Functional, intentional, and always play-based—that’s the power of movement at Help on Hooves! 💚

03/30/2026

🐴🧠✨ Let’s talk primitive reflexes! ✨🧠🐴

These early movement patterns are meant to integrate as a child develops—and when they don’t, they can impact regulation, coordination, and everyday functioning 💫

❓ Does your child struggle with:
✨ Sensory sensitivities
😟 Anxiety / nervousness
🔄 Poor tolerance of change
⚡ ADHD-like symptoms
🎭 Mood swings
🚫 Poor impulse control
🍭 Cravings for sweets
⚽ Difficulty with ball skills

👉 Their Moro reflex may still be retained 👀

🌀 What is the Moro reflex?
Also known as the “startle reflex,” it’s an automatic response to sudden movement or sensory input. When retained, it can keep the nervous system in a constant state of high alert 🚨

✨ How do we help integrate it?
🐎 Lay back in a supine position
⭕ Grasp a ring
⬆️ Sit up with control
🎯 Reach forward to place it on a cone

This sequence helps organize the nervous system through purposeful, controlled movement 💪🧠

🐎➡️🏠 No horse? No problem!

🔵 Stay tuned for our next post to learn simple ways to support Moro reflex integration right at home!

🎉 We might even include a free printable worksheet to make it easy and fun to try!

Functional, intentional, and always play-based—that’s the power of movement at Help on Hooves! 💚

03/26/2026

🐴🎀There’s a new girl in town… everyone meet Dolly! 🎀🐴

She’s made her way all the way from PA— the very same special place our beloved Ellie came from, Hopeland Haflingers💛—and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome her to the Help on Hooves family!

Dolly will spend a little time settling in and going through her routine training before joining sessions, but she already can’t wait to meet all of her new friends 🐎💫

At Help on Hooves, we keep our horses’ schedules limited to ensure ethical care, prevent burnout, and keep our equine partners happy and thriving 💚 Adding a new therapy horse means more appointment availability and the ability to serve even more amazing families! 💕

Stay tuned for updates on this sweet girl and more appointment times being made available! ✨If you’re on our waitlist, be expecting a phone call soon! ☺️

03/25/2026

🐴💪 Let’s talk CORE power at Help on Hooves! 💪🐴

Sitting on a moving horse already challenges a child’s core—meaning their body has to work even harder to stay upright and balanced 🌟

Now let’s level it up ⬆️✨ Adding a bilateral task like beading requires both hands to work together, which takes away the ability to use hands for support…so the core has to step in and do even more of the work! 🧵🙌

Level up again ⬆️🔥 When we place a child in half-sitting on the horse, it narrows their base of support even further, significantly increasing the demands on postural control and core activation!

Why does this matter? A strong core is the foundation for everything—from sitting, to writing, to playing, to overall coordination and independence 💫 When we build core strength, we’re supporting all other functional skills!

Functional, purposeful, and fun—that’s the magic of equine movement 🐎💛

03/23/2026

✨Want to spend some time with cute horses and even cuter kiddos?! Reach out today! We are looking for volunteers to help make sessions happen! 🐴

🐴At Help on Hooves, we rely on volunteers to help make our hippotherapy sessions happen. Our volunteers become part of the Help on Hooves team!

🐴Most frequently, volunteers help with leading horses or side walking, during occupational therapy sessions.

🐴Volunteers also help with grooming and handling horses, setting up and cleaning up for sessions and helping kids and families around the farm.

🐴If you are interested in making a difference in kiddos lives, visit our website for more info and contact us today!

03/19/2026

🌸 Looking for Easter basket fillers that are fun and support development? 🐣

🐰Here are a few OT-approved favorites:

💐Peep Push & Peel:
This cute sensory activity gets little fingers working! Kids push, peel, and grasp as they play, helping build finger strength, finger isolation, and the hand muscles needed for skills like writing, buttoning, and using utensils.

🌷Fine Motor Color Sorter:
This handheld sorter turns playtime into a mini workout for little hands. Pressing and manipulating the small balls helps strengthen fingers while improving fine motor control and coordination needed for everyday tasks.

🥚Egg Shape Matching:
Perfect for Easter! Kids open, match, and connect the eggs while using both hands together, building bilateral coordination, visual-motor integration, and visual perceptual skills like matching shapes and colors.

🪨Worry Stone Pocket Fidgets:
These small, smooth fidgets are great for supporting self-regulation. They’re quiet, portable, and easy to slip into a pocket—perfect for helping kids stay calm during moments of overstimulation.

03/16/2026

It’s all fun and games… until you realize how many skills we’re building!

Games are one of our favorite tools in therapy because they make sessions fun while also targeting functional skills.

One we love? Pop the Pig.🐷

To play, kids have to:
👀 Look at the hamburger
✋ Pick it up and orient it correctly
🎯 Line it up with the slot
💪 Push it in with the right amount of force

All of these steps require their eyes and hands to work together as a team. This teamwork is called visual motor integration.

These skills are the foundation for activities like:
✏️ Handwriting
✂️ Cutting
📐 Drawing shapes
🏀 Catching and throwing
🥣 Pouring into a bowl

And that’s not all! This game also works on fine motor strength, in-hand manipulation, bilateral coordination, visual attention, turn taking, grading force, and following directions!

Play in the clinic isn’t just fun. It’s purposeful!

03/15/2026

Ellie says, “Smile, it’s hair wash day!” 🐴🪮🫧😁

03/12/2026

🟣🟢🟡Have a bag of Mardi Gras beads left from all the parades last month?

Check out this post for ways to use them for purposeful play! 👇

03/07/2026

Today we’re out at the Birth to Five: Help Me Thrive event from 9–11 AM at the Santa Rosa Auditorium, and we would love for you to stop by and see us!

Come visit the Help on Hooves table to learn more about how occupational therapy and equine movement can support children’s development.
We’re also handing out free goodies, so bring the kids and come say hello.

This event is a great opportunity for families to connect with local resources that support early childhood development, and we’re excited to be part of it this morning.

Stop by, meet us, grab some free stuff, and learn more about what we do. We hope to see you here! 🐴💙