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Tavis's Story
Travis’ Story
In June of 1999, the summer he was 16, my son Travis sustained a devastating traumatic brain injury which left neurologically and medically fragile. He lost much of his ability to process information and was moved into the lowest functioning classroom at school. He was easily agitated and would “loop” or perseverate endlessly, repeating the same sentences over and over again. My happy, bright-eyed son was reduced to a barely functioning individual.
Eventually I realized it was very important to get him involved with some type of therapy that would get his brain and body back working together and moving towards recovery. I chose to focus on equestrian therapy because Travis loves horses, so I knew he would be motivated; and riding horses requires mental as well as physical effort, so I felt he would get a double benefit.
The first time we put Travis back on a horse, I was devastated. My son, who had been quite a good rider, could barely sit in the saddle. At a walk around a very small arena he almost fell out of the saddle. I wondered if it was even safe for him to be on a horse. The woman who was working with him at the time was a special education teacher with her own horses. She worked with boundless energy and enthusiasm, but it just seemed impossible that Travis would ever regain any of the skills he once had.
We switched to a riding facility that specialized in working with disabled riders. Over the next two years, Travis improved slightly and was able to begin to trot again, but the effort was exhausting and he was still having trouble sitting upright in the saddle. As he went around turns there were many times I thought he was going to fall right off. The instructors there were working to the best of their ability, but it was a lot of hard work for Travis, without a lot of gain. They tried to alter his equipment by raising the stirrup on one side to try to offset his leaning, but it was ineffective. We just couldn’t figure out why he kept leaning to one side. Also, every time his horse would step down at a trot, Travis’s arm would shoot up in the air. It would have been great if he were a drum major in a marching band, but it just didn’t work on horseback. They tried to compensate by having Travis hold on to the fabric of his Levi’s at his thigh, but his elbow still flapped out at every step.
It was at a Special Olympics equestrian competition that we met Tami Tanner. Tami was so cute with Travis; she teased him and got him to laugh. She told me about her program, Hoofbeats to Healing, and the remarkable Fox Trotters she was using as therapy horses. I told her about Travis and she promised he would improve--not just on horseback, but neurologically and in every aspect of his life-- if we rode with her. I was drawn to Tami immediately, but her facility was farther away and, to be frank, I really didn’t believe that riding with her could possibly be any more beneficial than riding in any other program. I was pretty sure that someone who had never ridden would improve with any equestrian therapy, but I was very skeptical that Travis would experience any changes. After all, he had been riding for ten years.
Another year went by, and we met Tami again at the Special Olympics competition. It was a long day, and I had the opportunity to observe Tami’s students. I watched her interaction with the kids, and I watched the kids interact with each other. Tami talked to me some more, told me more about her program and the special saddles she uses. She explained how kids’ brains were changed when they rode Fox Trotters. I decided it was time to make a decision. Even though I didn’t want to drive an extra half hour each way to get to her barn, even though I didn’t think Travis’ brain would really change, I was pretty sure his riding skills would improve, (I thought Tami was just an excellent instructor) and I knew he would have a lot more fun. Tami just has a way of making everything seem fun.
The first time Travis rode at Hoofbeats to Healing, Tami had someone lead his horse around the arena, and she used a side walker. I thought she was overcautious, after all—he had been riding unassisted for years. But after only about ten minutes under Tami’s careful observation, Travis had to stop. He was dizzy and his eyes were dilated. That was when I became convinced that there was something special going on.
Tami explained that the reason Travis was leaning sideways in the saddle and the reason his arm would shoot up in the air was because of his brain damage. It wouldn’t do any good to shorten one stirrup to compensate, because his brain was what needed to compensate. The first thing she did was have him ride without stirrups so his brain could begin to right itself. After a few sessions she had him ride bareback. I know that just a short time before he would have fallen right off without a saddle, but there he was—upright and trotting around the arena. One of the best days of my life was just a few months later when I watched Travis, riding bareback, sailing over low jumps and loving it.
One thing Tami warned me about was that because of all the neurological stimulation, sometimes kids get worse before they get better until their brains learn to adjust. Let me tell you, after the first three weeks I was ready to give up. While Travis was doing much better on top of the horse, on the ground he was agitated and hyperactive. Tami kept promising it would get better, but I was about ready to give up. Then, like magic, everything started to smooth out.
Travis’ processing speed increased dramatically, he seldom “looped,” and he was much less prone to be agitated. Interestingly, when he was having a hard day, I have observed that he is much calmer after a session at Tami’s. His medications have been reduced dramatically. While Travis still struggles, the improvements I saw were nothing short of miraculous.
When Travis had been riding for two years with Tami, he got a first place ribbon in a real horseshow. But better than ribbons, I had a son who was almost back to where he was before 1999. We can have real conversations and he has hopes and dreams for his future. Thanks to Tami Tanner and Hoofbeats to Healing, I could dream, too.
But then, just when things were looking so positive for Travis, my income took a downturn, gas prices went sky high, and I drive a 14 year old car that doesn’t get the best mileage. Making the drive from Salt Lake City to Tami’s barn became economically unfeasible. I was forced to stop taking Travis to Tami’s.
Travis has missed his time with Tami. He talks about her almost every day, and calls her regularly; but it is not the same as being there. We’re having more trouble now with perseveration, and Travis is “looping” again. It is devastating to think about the neurological losses he must be experiencing. No one can guess how much of the benefits will remain, or what improvements he might lose without the challenges and stimulation the riding provided.
If you or someone you know has the resources to help Tami build a scholarship fund for her students, you would be providing life changing opportunities for individuals who need it the most. Please consider helping Travis, and other students who are economically unable to attend Tami’s program.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Carolyn Hulbert
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