After Juthamart Rattana was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, her hope looked dim. As the degenerative neurological disease progressed, she would lose the ability to walk and perform basic tasks, like feeding herself. At age nine, she was selected to join a project called Horse Therapy. "After practicing horse-riding on weekends for months, she started to sit upright longer than she used to, "her mother says.
Horse Therapy was founded by a president of the Pony Preservation Club. He says that Juthamart, who was the first special-needs child to take horse-riding lessons, has become an inspiration for him and other volunteers at the club. "An autistic child is usually considered a burden in school,"he says." Unless, many people tend to overlook their development. But they need love and care just like other children.