The boys who started it all. Rowan Isaacson is 9 years old and was diagnosed with PDD-NOS in 2004. Rupert, his dad, was born in London to Southern African parents in 1967. A writer, journalist and human rights advocate, Rupert has been a horse nut all his life. Together he and Rowan live and evolve the Horse Boy Method every day at the New Trails Center in Elgin, TX.
A child-centered approach that integrates movement, intrinic motivation & creating the right environment in order to enhance communication, sensory functioning, social cognitive development, and academics.
HB IDaL System offers a variety of sensory integration & kinetic learning approaches such as horses, surfing, regular play equipment, car, train and others. All modules convey the basic methodology of HB IDaL and then specialize in addressing sensory challenges, communication, learning, and social cognitive development.
Participants in any Introduction module can easily switch from one type of kinetic learning approach to another e.g. start with HBM 1 then transfer to HBL.
HBL is the overarching Module that sets all the groundwork for all other Modules and goes into detail of how to teach kinetic learners which most autistic, ADD, ADHD and children with other neuro-psychiatric challenges are.
Anybody interested in teaching through movement can learn our easy 6-stage process and can easily implement the methods at home, school or in a therapy setting.
HBM & HBS (and other modules to come) then apply the approach systemized in HBL while specializing in certain types of kinetic learning “tool” i.e. farm living and the horse or the ocean and surf boards.
For any of our Modules setting up the right environment is the most important aspect of it all.
We strongly suggest to participate in HBL 1 before choosing your field of specialization e.g HBL2/3 or HBM or HBS.
The Horse Boy System an Overview
To find out more about the various courses click here:
- Horse Boy Learning
- Horse Boy Method
- Horse Boy Surfing (coming soon)
Deepen your knowledge in your field
Once you have acquired the basic skills in your area of expertise learn how to optimize your Environment by adding on the following modules:
Horse Boy Horsemanship
More intensive follow up training and Internships
Requirement HBM1 completed. Completing The Right Environment workshop will qualify you to start forming a Horse Boy Independent Tribe. Click here for a full list of requirements.
Horse Boy Tribe
coming soon...
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]]>Photographs of some of Rowan's fun adventures:
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About the Book
When his son Rowan was diagnosed with autism, Rupert Isaacson was devastated, afraid he might never be able to communicate with his child. But when Isaacson, a lifelong horseman, rode their neighbor's horse with Rowan, Rowan improved immeasurably. He was struck with a crazy idea: why not take Rowan to Mongolia, the one place in the world where horses and shamanic healing intersected?
THE HORSE BOY is the dramatic and heartwarming story of that impossible adventure. In Mongolia, the family found undreamed of landscapes and people, unbearable setbacks, and advances beyond their wildest dreams. This is a deeply moving, truly one-of-a-kind story--of a family willing to go to the ends of the earth to help their son, and of a boy learning to connect with the world for the first time.
About the Author
Rupert Isaacson was born in London to a South African mother and a Zimbabwean father. Isaacson's first book, The Healing Land: The Bushmen and the Kalahari Desert (Grove Press), was a 2004 New York Times Notable Book. His journalism and travel writing has appeared in the Daily Telegraph, Esquire, National Geographic, Independent on Sunday, Conde Nast Traveller, Daily Mail and The Field. He has travelled extensively in Africa, Asia, and North America and now lives in Austin, Texas, with his wife, Kristin, and their son, Rowan. In addition to being an ex-professional horse trainer, Rupert is founding director of the Indigenous Land Rights Fund, a non-profit organization that helps threatened and displaced indigenous tribes obtain tenure of their ancestral land.
Reviews & Press
Telegraph - "Executed with a trace more sentiment, a fraction less ironic intelligence, a degree less fine observation, this book would be unbearable. But somewhere within himself Isaacson has found the rigour to keep in balance his mysticism, his hope and love for his son, and his sheer infuriation at the outrageous misfortune of Rowan’s condition. The result is an elegant, affecting narrative that contrives to transform a riverside poo -- Rowan’s first controlled bowel movement -- into a triumph of the human spirit."
Good Housekeeping - "A colorful real-life adventure with inspiring results."
Publisher's Weekly - "In this intense, polished account, the parents of an autistic boy trek to the Mongolian steppes to consult shamans in a last-ditch effort to alter his unraveling behavior.... Isaacson records heartening improvement in Rowan's firestormlike tantrums and incontinence, as he taps into an ancient, valuable form of spirit healing."
Bookreporter.com "If you are a parent of a child with autism, if you are an educator, a psychologist or a therapist whose work involves autistic children, this book will astound you. It is honest, bold, touching and radical....It suggests that autistics may be gifted in some way, and not in need of a total cure, just a re-patterning of their most socially unacceptable behavior. It suggests something like a miracle, but a miracle wrought of extreme effort and great love."
Oprah Magazine "Isaacson's expansive memoir traces his trip to the remote Mongolian steppe with his wife and autistic son, whose behavior begins to improve through encounters with horses, herders, and shamans. Candid and warm, Isaacson's narration feels like an epic tale told by an old friend."
Lee Grossman, Autism Society of America President and CEO -"The Horse Boy is a wonderful book that encourages families affected by autism to dare to dream of a better quality of life, even when things seem hopeless. We are thrilled to be working with Rupert and Little, Brown to help raise awareness of autism through this family's story, and we hope it will inspire other families to find their own children's unique paths to happiness."
Dr. Temple Grandin, author of the bestselling books Thinking in Pictures, My Life With Autism, and Animals in Translation“ This is a fascinating book. It is the tale of a family's journey to Mongolia with their five-year-old son who has autism. The family travels to the northern remote areas and lives with the nomads and herders away from the cities. I loved the descriptions of the nomad way of life, and that they were so accepting of a child with autism. Rowan loved baby animals and the people did not mind when he grabbed a baby goat and climbed into one of their beds with it. During the trip, Rowan developed improved language and behavior. He also had a magical connection with horses. There are many wonderful passages about Rowan’s exploits with a Mongolian horse named Blackie… This is a great book and everyone who is interested in autism, animals or different cultures should read it.
Luis Alberto Urrea, author of The Hummingbird's Daughter and The Devil's Highway "Rupert Isaacson has conjured a non-fiction journey that reads like an epic novel. It is a book of endless amazements. The world of Mongolian shamans, the details of adventuresome travel, the mysterious world of autism--all are all amazing. Soon, you realize that the world of horses is mysterious, too--and, yes, amazing. By the time you are in the grip of this book, you'll see love, marriage, and parenthood as a realm of magic, profound power, and further amazements. The Horse Boy can change the way you see your life, and it's a terrifically good read at the same time. It feels like a classic."
Kirkus Reviews “Breathtaking atmosphere, solid prose and stunning cultural observations”
Book Page Isaacson's journey to heal his son is just that, a healing, not a cure. But he wouldn't want it any other way. While the author's purpose was to draw Rowan out of his autism, he came to realize the overlooked gifts it entails. The Horse Boy will leave readers with a new appreciation for autism and the healing techniques of other cultures; like Rowan, they, too, will be changed forever.
Bright Hub "The Horse Boy is a must read for anyone with an interest in children with autism. It is one of those rare books on autism that is interesting, well written and keeps you turning the pages to learn more? I can't put it down, and it has been about three years since I have honestly been able to say that about any book."
Cleveland Plain Dealer "Any good travel memoir needs both internal and external journey, and "The Horse Boy" delivers. Will Rowan's outbursts dissipate? Will they find the shamans of the Dukha? Will Kristin forgive Rupert for dragging them on his meshuga idea of a family vacation? Rooting for Rowan through all this -- a "brave little sausage" who leaves no Mongolian baby animal unsnuggled -- makes "The Horse Boy" an unexpected page turner."
Head Butler "I have read many travel books about the East; the combination of the exotic and the spiritual is catnip for me. I've never read one remotely like this. Easy to figure out why: The stakes seem higher here --- not just personal salvation but the future of a child. You may not have to deal with autism. But the moral of the story is universal. When you're confronted with a problem that blights your life, don't just accept it. Do something. If it fails, do something else. And never, never, never give up."
Featured in the Media
- Austin American-Statesman: Family's story of autism, shamans, trip in Mongolia becomes film, book.
- Sunday Times: Magic and shamans work magic on autistic Rowan
- Sunday Times: Quest for a miracle cure
- Telegraph UK: How the Horseboy conquered autism
- New York Times: A gallop toward hope: One family's adventure in fighting autism
- Psychology Today: The biology of The Horse Boy
- ABC News: Horse Riding Helped His Son With Autism
- KUT Radio interview: The Horse Boy
- Australia ABC Radio National, Late Night News
- Fox News: Horseback therapy for autism
- CBS evening news with Katie Couric: Humans, horses, and autism
- CNN: Family find respite from autism in Mongolia
- KVUE news (Austin): A film documenting a boy's autism is garnering attention nationwide
- CNN: Dr. Sanjay Gupta talks with Rupert Isaacson
- NBC Austin News
<h2 >International Translations
Chinese (Mainland) – Published by Jiangsu – date to be determined - http://www.booky.com.cn/
Chinese (Taiwan) – Published by Commonwealth – date to be determined
Danish – Published by Bazar Forlag in Spring 2010 - www.bazarforlag.dk
Dutch –Published by De Bezige Bij in May 2009 – www.debezigebij.nl/boekboek/show/id=31160
Finnish – Published by Tammi in Spring 2010 - www.tammi.fi
French -– Published by Albin Michel in October 2009 - www.albin-michel.fr
German – Published by Scherz in October 2009 - www.fischerverlage.de
Hebrew – Published by Modan in June 2009 - www.modan.co.il
Italian – Published by Rizzoli in May 2009 - www.rcslibri.it
Japanese – Published by Hayakawa in Winter 2010 - www.hayakawa-online.co.jp
Korean – Published by Magellan in November 2009 - http://blog.naver.com/8343837
Norwegian – Published by Bazar Forlag in early 2010 - www.bazarforlag.no
Polish – Published by Nasza Ksiegarnia - www.naszaksiegarnia.pl
Portuguese (Brazil) – Published by Objetiva in late 2009 - www.objetiva.com.br
Portuguese (Portugal) – Published by ASA in June 2009 - www.leya.com
Spanish – Published by Urano in May 2009 - www.elchicodeloscaballos.com
Swedish – Published by Damm Forlag in October 2009 - www.icabokforlag.se
Turkish – Published by Bilge Kultur Sanat – date to be determined
The Film
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYkT_GndKtE
Back to Horse Boy Movie website - click here
The Horse Boy does more than chronicle Rowan and his parents' journey across the vast, wild landscape of Mongolia. It delves into the strange world of autism itself, the relationship between humans and animals and between different cultures and different ways of being (autistic vs. normal, or "neuro-typical"), and the nature of healing.
Audiences hear the varied theories on autism from the experts in the field, well-known researchers of autism such as Dr. Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge University; Dr. Temple Grandin, recovered autist and professor of animal behavior at Colorado State University; and anthropologist and researcher Roy Richard Grinker of George Washington University.
But above all, The Horse Boy tells the story of a couple that goes to the end of the earth to find a way into their son's life.
Father and Son Story
More and more films are being made about the vital role that fathers play in the development of their children.
Society is entering a new era of parenting, when fathers, instead of being emotionally distant breadwinners, are stepping up to the plate of direct, hands-on parenting.
The special bond between father and son is one of the greatest gifts life can offer. The Horse Boy tells this story.
The New Trails Center in Elgin, TX is our home base. This is where the Horse Boy story started. We work with kids and families here. We also host trainings at the center. People coming to Elgin are able to meet and work with Betsy who is the champ in collected canter with the kids and are also able to do advanced classes in longlining, academics on horse back, trick work, Horse Boy dressage and more.
Find all available dates for trainings in Elgin in our calendar.
We offer:
- Horse Boy Method 1, 2 & 3 Workshops and Master Classes
- Stress-Free Dressage
- Horse Boy Learning Modules
How to get here?
We are about 30 min east from Austin in Elgin, TX. The closest Airport is Austin Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
Where to stay?
Hyatt Regency - Lost Pines Resort and Spa
Located near Bastrop, this expansive, 405-acre retreat offers an exceptionally luxurious and relaxing alternative to the usual Austin Texas hotels.
http://lostpines.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html
Ranch Del Lago - McDade
We stongly suggest you check out our friends' B&B at Rancho Del Lago in McDade (about 20 min from us). They have an amazing place, with a little guesthouse for rent. They breed fabulous Andalusians and will make your stay in Texas one you will never forget! All prices include breakfast and afternoon snack. You will also get a personal tour of foals and stallions and have access to their pool. Prices start at $75-$145. Contact Walter Henslee for more details: www.bedandbreakfastranchodellago.com/
Walter & Judy Henslee
156 Martin Ranch Road
McDade, TX 78650
WalterHenslee@yahoo.com JudyHenslee@yahoo.com
Ranch: 512.273.2525 | Walter: 979.292.5784 | Judy: 979.299.4785
Other Places to stay
Austin
If you like to stay in Austin downtown that is about a 30-40 minute drive out to the farm.
Elgin
The clostest hotel is the Holiday Inn Express in Elgin.
Bastrop
If you rather stay in a more quiet setting, check out these B&Bs in Bastrop (about 20 minutes to the farm):
There are also a motels in Bastrop.
More about the Area
Horse Boy is more than just a Method. It’s a way of life.
In fact it’s a Tribe. The Horse Boy Tribe.
Although, the center of operations – the Tribal Headquarters if you will – is located at New Trails in Texas, the Horse Boy Tribe is now global. We are one community.
What do we mean by this?
Most autism and special needs families exist in isolation from each other, without any real community or way to come together, exchange information and provide the kind of support that is truly needed.
Horse Boy Environments and people trained in Horse Boy Method can provide this. In fact it’s one of the most valuable services that the Horse Boy Method does provide.
Modern life, in the suburbs and cities is not community oriented.
This is all well and good until a crisis hits. When that happens however, you had better have some other people around you to provide support.
When the Isaacson family trekked across Mongolia with their son Rowan they moved with and stayed with Horse Tribes.
When they came home, they realized that this kind of community was almost completely lacking in the west.
Offer a Tribal Environment!
One of the main tenets of Horse Boy Method now is to encourage those certified in the Method to create environments where families can find respite from judgment and a place where everybody understands and supports them.
Horses also prefer to live in this tribal way: for example when staying with the Horse Tribes of Mongolia, the Isaacsons noticed how completely integrated the horses were with the Tribes that owned them. The horses regarded the humans as their point of security.
Put simply, they sought out human companionship, chose to interact with humans as much as possible and were in general safer and more tractable than many horses one meets in western equestrian centers.
We encourage centers trained in Horse Boy Method to – as much as possible – integrate their horses into every aspect of their lives, not just for riding.
The result is horses that really want to be of service.
Families: Create your Tribe!
There is a final aspect of Horse Boy Tribe. That of course is family.
We encourage autism families as much as possible to break down the boundaries between them and to use Horse Boy Centers, Horse Boy Camps and their own backyards and living rooms as places to find and promote the extended family that they and their children so desperately need.
The philosophy of “every man for himself”, or territorialism is detrimental to the healing that autism families – and in deed all of us – need.
Autism can return us to a more natural, less stressful, less artificial human life. “Love thy neighbor” is really at the center of this. In a way, you can say that our autistic children are bringing us back Home.
Life at New Trails
We live like a Horse Tribe. Iliane and Jenny who run the day to day operations live in the Center.
The horses are pastured (not stabled) all around the neighborhood on rented and bartered pastures.
Rupert, Kristin and Rowan live a short walk away down a woodland trail. Guests and working students stay with Iliane and Jenny.
Although people take their own space when they need it we do a lot of things together. From working with the kids and families, to horse training, to ranch work, to going out and a BBQs at home with friends.
We also have a wider tribe of neighbors and helpers who regularly come by for BBQs as well as to help with kids or run New Trails.
It’s very much a tribal life and the kids and horses thrive, prove positive to the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child.
If the concept is still unclear, just imagine that you are living with an extended family of siblings, cousins, uncles and aunts – except that this time you can chose them!
Tribe 101 - How do I get started?
All tribes need a focus.
First find out what your passions are.
It doesn’t have to be horses.
It can be anything: healthy eating, alternative healthcare, photography, computers, crafts, cars, dogs, wine, travel, spiritual believes, business, art, moms against wireless internet etc.
The next stage is to start gathering in a setting your tribe would enjoy.
Take it from there.
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Co-Founder of Horse Boy Method and Horse Boy Dressage, she has worked with Rupert and Rowan since 2009 and helped organize the methods into their current teachable form.
Iliane co-directs the Horse Boy Method trainings co-creates the website, DVDs and other media. She also runs our Horse Boy Herd at New Trails in Texas. A genius on a horse she also teaches Horse Boy Dressage (Stressfree Dressage).
Contact Iliane for:
- Horse Boy Method workshops and masterclasses worldwide
- Stress-Free Dressage workshops and masterclasses
- Fundraisers
- Screenings of Horse Boy Movie or other Horse Boy Production Films
- Working student opportunities
- Demos
- Website
- all other things that are not covered by anybody else.
Jenny is from Yorkshire in the UK and is one of the coolest human beings currently inhabiting planet earth. She is Rowan’s "Mentor and Advisor".
Jenny also started her masters at the University of Texas at Austin in Academic Educational Psychology. She is Kristin's Graduate Research Assistant and will research the effectiveness of Horse Boy Camps on the child's functioning (social and language) as well as the family functioning (parents stress levels, sibling relationships, parents relationship etc).
Contact Jenny
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For those who’ve read the Horse Boy Book, or watched the film Kristin is already a familiar figure. Rowan’s mother and Rupert’s wife, Kristin is not about horses at all – which makes her horseback journey across Mongolia all the more heroic. However, Kristin is a professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin and author of the ground breaking book ‘Self-Compassion, Stop Beating Yourself Up and Start Living’. Kristin’s insights into how self-compassion really help deal with the day to day challenges of being an autism parent (or therapist) are truly words of wisdom. We urge anyone interested in living a happier life to read her book.
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A champion autism mom, Gillian lives in Scotland and runs Horse Boy UK – both the UK wing of Horse Boy Foundation and Horse Boy Camps UK. She came on a Horse Boy Camp in early 2010 with her son Sam and daughter Jaymi. Very soon after that she started organizing and running successful Horse Boy Camps in which some children became verbal and others saw such huge leaps forward that Gillian decided to start running the camps and trainings full time with her colleague Dawn Oakley-Smith and Janine Pendlebury. If you are in the UK, and want to know about or do anything Horse Boy, contact Gillian or Dawn.
Contact Gillian for:
- Horse Boy Method 1 workshops in the UK
- Horse Boy Camps in the UK
- Horse Boy Movie and other Horse Boy products in the UK
Another Brit, Emily helps coordinate Horse Boy publicity. She also helps the day to day running of the New Trails Center – critters, horses, et al. Like Jenny, she operates from the UK as well as the USA helping coordinate Horse Boy Camps, Trainings, Demos and other fun. She also co-runs Horse Boy Method Trainings with Iliane, Jenny and Rupert.
Contact Emily for
- Horse Boy Foundation UK
- Fundraisers in UK
- Screenings of the Movie in UK
- Workshops in UK