ALL ABOUT ORI!

Ori has learned to concentrate and listen more
attentively, not only during his horseback riding
sessions but also at home, at school, and in other
areas of his life.

Our son, Ori, is a loving, lively, inquisitive 14-year-old with Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21). He has a zest for life and a perpetual well of curiosity which are both integral parts of who he is and how he interacts with people.
Ori struggles with balance, low core strength and decreased attention span. His biggest challenge, however, is his difficulty pronouncing words clearly, which causes frustration when others misunderstand him. We knew that Ori’s hearing was diminished. It wasn’t until he received
hearing aids that we truly understood how much he probably had NOT heard.
Ori’s communication skills began to develop significantly after we welcomed our dog, Coco, into our family. Witnessing Ori engage in conversations with Coco, we decided to explore organizations that use animals therapeutically. Lovelane quickly rose to the top of our list because of the known positive impact equine therapy has both physically and emotionally. 
Ori began taking horseback riding lessons during the pandemic, which was a challenging time for someone like our son, who has such an engaging and interactive personality. Lovelane played a crucial role in channeling Ori’s energy and helping him to grow. Physically, Ori became stronger, falling and tripping less often while walking and running. The dedicated and personalized therapeutic instruction at Lovelane has helped Ori become more adept at regulating himself and increasingly self-aware. He was able to learn more effective non-verbal communication from working with the horses, and these relationship ansferred easily and effectively to his human relationships.
It is heartwarming to see Ori, who typically struggles with communication, openly connect with the horses, who are incredibly gentle and cognizant of the students. Lovelane has helped Ori
develop both physically and emotionally, improving his strength, stamina, and overall well-being. We have seen Ori surpass goals and accomplish more than we ever thought possible, which has brought immense joy and fulfillment beyond words.

The work being done at Lovelane has been invaluable to Ori and to countless other children and young adults. We humbly and gratefully ask you to consider supporting Lovelane so this unique and comprehensive program remains possible for children.