Kids love Susan de Meyer’s horses. The horses bring a sense of calm. They feel like friends. 

Ms. de Meyer runs a horse program in Namibia, a country in southern Africa. She uses the animals’ powerful gentleness to help kids who struggle with learning in the classroom.

Each weekday morning, school kids gather at Ms. de Meyer’s dusty corral. They ride the horses, groom them, stroke them, and talk to them.

Horses have always been part of Ms. de Meyer’s life. She grew up on a farm. She says horses don’t judge kids with disabilities. 

How many horses does Ms. de Meyer have? “Two and a half,” she jokes. These include two Arabians: a white female named Faranah and a brown male named Lansha. The “half” is a miniature horse called Bonzi. Bonzi measures about head-high for a five-year-old.

Ms. de Meyer says working with the Arabian horses helps kids feel confident. “This is a very big animal compared to their height, and they are not scared to stroke the horse . . . and then to ride it and tell the horse what they want.”

At first, some kids feel afraid of the big beasts. But after riding for a little while, they get excited to visit the horses again and again. 

The horse program helps kids with coordination, strength, balance, and posture. These are important for kids who struggle to sit at a desk at school to learn.

Watch a student learn from a horse: Ms. de Meyer asks a child to let go of the reins. Now, she instructs, stretch your arms straight out to the sides. The student uses only his torso and lower body to balance. He breaks out into a smile. He looks like he’s soaring!

Why? God loves children with differences and disabilities. They are made in His image.