Preliminary Study at Valley – Fall 2014
In 2014, Pippa and I ran a 14-week study at Valley Therapeutic with two 3.5 olds.
We were interested in determining how the instantaneous use of the violin voice was helping her reach her clients
as we were repeatedly seeing greater responses from many of her riders, more than before the violin had entered their treatment sessions.
Pippa’s greatest interest lay in the practical: what sounds and tunes or pieces engaged them and learning to recognize the instant of application.


Quite early on in the study, we feel the violin voice was already making a difference, shown by the decrease in autistic behavior and the increase in more developed behavior and engagement.
Autistic children love music, underscoring our instincts that I could provide an “in” for Pippa, my study partner. We believe this is what the chart shows. We therefore continue to strive to understand the power of the violin for those in the therapeutic riding arena.