The Horse Boy Revisited....Meeting the Author (and Producer!)...

On Sunday I had the extreme pleasure of meeting Rupert Isaacson, the author of the book 'The Horse Boy' and then seeing the Sudance film with the same title. Since I have quite a background in the autism realm (12 yrs. experience), my son's little brother is autistic, and of course my volunteer work at Triple H Equitherapy, this book and movie were of extreme interest to me. I had chatted live with Rupert a couple of times online, and while only getting to talk to him a very little bit during the book signing and in the Q&A session after the movie, I am excited to go to his ranch and really have a good convo. He has so much knowledge to impart, not just in the world of autistim, but as a consumate horseman. Raised in England by South African parents, his knowledge of dressage and eventing astound me. Just a neat guy and I'm sure his wife is just as great. I'm always looking for interesting horse people here in Texas so this was a real treat! The Horse Boy movie came out in independent theaters this week, if you don't read, give it a gander. Or do both like I did!!



Meeting Rupert...

The Horse Boy

The Horse Boy: A Father's Quest to Heal His Son

by Rupert Isaacson

If any of you have been reading my blog you are probably aware that I work at an Equitherapy facility called Triple H Equitherapy, located in Pipe Creek, Tx. HHH provides nationally accredited therapeutic horseback riding programs for disabled children and adults in a safe and beautiful Hill Country environment. Before I became an RN, I worked with the developmentally disabled population for 12 years. I miss it, but unfortunately it did not pay the bills. Being able to work with this population AND horses is not even volunteer work for me, and I thoroughly enjoy my time there. I get SO much out of it! I am amazed at the bond forged between horse and rider, not to mention the mental and physical improvements exhibited. My friend at work recently brought me the above book, and I was moved beyond words by it. I am going to include the teaser from the dustcover; this was simply an awe inspiring book. Since Rupert lives in Austin, TX (about 1 hr. away) I am hoping to contact him to do a presentation at our facility. I hope you decide to borrow (or purchase) this one, it is incredible....

PS...For those of you who may not know, http://www.half.com/ is an amazing place to purchase books at rock bottom prices, you can get new or used, and they are a sister site to e-bay. Unlike e-bay you do not bid, it is all buy it now.

When his son, Rowan, was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson, a lifelong horseman, was devastated. Would he ever be able to communicate with his son, much less share the wonder of horses with him?

Then something extraordinary happened. On a walk near their home one day, Rowan dodged underneath a fence and ran under the hooves of a neighbor's horse, a testy mare named Betsy. Instead of trampling him, the mare dipped her head and stood perfectly still--a moment of profound beauty and revelation. Rupert saw that his distant, unreachable son had a real connection with the horse. Rupert began taking Rowan for rides on Betsy, and soon Rowan started to speak and to improve remarkably.

Rupert then had a crazy, impossible idea: What if there was a place in the world where horses and healing came together? What if Rowan's autism could be the gateway to adventure? The adventure of a lifetime.

The Horse Boy is a heart-wrenching true story of the remarkable journey taken by Rupert, his wife, Kristin, and Rowan through the untamed landscape of Outer Mongolia. They travel halfway around the world to ride horseback across that land together, and to meet the traditional healers there, heirs to centuries of discipline and inspiration. It is an astounding journey, full of challenges, the unexpected, beauty, and extraordinary advances. Perhaps more inspiring than the changes Rowan goes through is the power of this father's love for his son. This is an unforgettable story that shows that even in our darkest moments we can discover joy, that healing can arrive in the most unexpected of ways, and that the magical and the mundane can come together to transform our lives.

For more information about The Horse Boy, visit http://www.horseboythebook.com/ It is also now a 2009 Sundance film with the footage that they taped on their journey and you can view a very cool trailer here...I will add it later tonite....You Tube has decided not to cooperate!