Issue link: https://tmcpulse.uberflip.com/i/674404
t m c » p u l s e | m a y 2 0 1 6 8 8 The activity of riding helps with fine motor skills. Riding is a total body system exercise. Every time the horse takes a step, it is felt in the total body—physical, mental and emotional. — ANTHONY BUSACCA Chief Operating Officer at SIRE Therapeutic Horsemanship could keep them from riding, or even other issues with physical, cognitive, social or emotional behaviors, Busacca and his team will evaluate if riding is a good fit. Even some of the horses don't make the cut. SIRE, for the most part, partners with horses that are donated, but also purchases some. "We literally have to look at 10 or 20 horses to find one or two," Busacca said. That's because the horses need to be calm, quiet and sound: some horse owners may decide to donate Busacca cited studies and research showing riding helps people produce chemicals in their bodies, including oxytocin and adrenaline, both hormones that are good for the body, he said. A majority of the riding students have some degree of autism spectrum disorder. In addition to students with cerebral palsy and other neuromuscular condi- tions, SIRE works with veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and brain injuries. Not all students, however, are able to ride. For example, if they display spinal column issues that