Fatih Önsoy was taking his children to horse riding lessons when he came across an autistic child whose strength in overcoming the limitations of his condition to get into the saddle touched Önsot greatly. It was at that point the businessman decided to set up his own ranch offering free hippotherapy, or equine-assisted therapy, for children with special needs.

The 100-acre ranch in the Serdivan district of northwestern Sakarya province is staffed with trainers ready to assist children in free sessions that help their physical, psychological and social development. Along with autistic children, Önsoy offers free rides to orphans and child victims of terror. "I met an autistic child who could not walk properly but managed to do so after taking riding classes. But he needed money to continue classes. That's when I decided to build this ranch to offer free therapy," he told Anadolu Agency (AA) Tuesday. "We all need to do something for them. I hope this ranch will help them and raise them as licensed riders who can compete in tournaments," he said.

Equine-assisted therapy has been used in mental health treatment since the 1990s but is a complementary method for rehabilitation of autistic children. Çağdaş Çelik, vice president of Turkey’s Autism Federation, says it offers an opportunity both to educate and treat children. "Hippotherapy is the basis for sensory integration. Autistic individuals can learn awareness about their body and how to position their body. With repeated sessions, they can use their body in a more functional way," he said. "Autistic children can encounter problems in fine and gross motor skills. With hippotherapy, they activate muscles they cannot move and eventually learn how to use them," Çelik said.

Therapy also helps them divert their attention to something other than their condition. Çelik laments that although Turkey has the potential for more hippotherapy practices, it has not been very active in this field. "Work in the private sector and local administrations could boost such projects and raise awareness about the state of autistic children," he said.

Abdullah Berke Yanar, a hippotherapy instructor, said the difference was "obvious" after autistic children start taking classes. "After the 20th session, we see their hands, feet, waist, shoulders and head movements get more synchronized," Yanar said. Ömer Faruk Özbudak, who attends therapy sessions, said of the experience: "It is fun to ride horses. I love them so much and like to stroke their manes."