Participant Application

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1NhkiAsxSI1uV2LbN9_zrDS1tUoz9Z2eG8lMrDOus06A/edit?usp=sharing

Making Memories

When John was diagnosed with autism at the age of three and half we were devastated. I have heard a lot of parents with special needs children compare the feeling that parents have right after getting a special needs diagnosis to that of losing a child. In some ways I think that is true.  Right after the diagnosis there is a period of time where the parents mourn the loss of what we perceived in that moment as "what should have been". For me it was the thought of never being able to see John play sports, have friends over, go off to college, get married or have children. It was a total collapse of his future - Or so I thought. But as always God had a plan. He knew exactly what he was doing in John's life and in the lives of so many others who have taken the time to get to know him. But that's a different story. . . At the age of 7 Forever Reins came into John's life. It was a challenge to begin with. I still remember on the first day he cried and didn't want to get out of the car. I promised him that if he hated it, that he didn't have to come back, but he at least had to try it. Needless to say, that was 7 years ago! It turned into something amazing for him. It allowed him to have something that was his. Instead of watching his sister go off to dance practice, cheer practice, etc. while he sat home, he now had something that was his. It provided him with friendship and a feeling of self-worth and responsibility. It gave him a feeling of belonging to something; a feeling of being like everyone else. It is a place where John can go and be himself without the disapproving looks of others. It is a place of HOPE; a bridge to normalcy in a world where almost everything is confusion and anxiety. Forever Reins is making a difference in the lives of special needs children and their families. We are forever grateful for the time that John has been able to spend there, and it is our hope that it will continue to be a place of comfort and hope for other families in the years to come.

Sandi Hall

Finding extra curricular activities for a child with special needs is a huge challenge because they unique abilities that many people are not prepared to address.  All children deserve to have fun and Forever Reins has answered our prayers with safe, fun,educational activities for our daughter.  Forever Reins has given Sarah some of her happiest memories and we pray they will continue to make memories with her. 

Jennifer Sanders

Forever Reins has provided a much needed therapy for my son, Will.  He is a 7-year-old nonverbal, autistic boy.  When he was first diagnosed, he was in a world of his own.  He didn’t socialize with other kids and rarely interacted with us at home. He wanted to be in small confined spaces all the time.  Forever Reins opened up a whole new world for him.  He started to interact more and more.  I first realized that he paid attention to things I didn’t even realize one day while driving past the location. As we would pass highway 52 on our way to ABA or speech therapy, he would hold his arm out every time and say ma ma ma. It took me a while but I finally figured out that he was letting me know he knew we needed to turn there to go ride the horse.  I was amazed!!!
Equine therapy is good for muscle tone, coordination, self-esteem, social anxiety, attention, and completing tasks.  The ladies in charge have been able to get words out of Will while he is riding.  He will lay completely flat on the horse as if to say I love this so much. It is very calming for him.  Autistic kids get overly stimulated and this therapy is a good way to keep him grounded. It is an awesome motivator for him to verbalize, and I hope and pray they are able to raise enough money to get it up and running again.

Lynn Castleberry
An autism mom