Five-year-old Nicholas Smith suffers from cerebral palsy and uses his walker to get around. But when he's in therapy at Sutton Children's Hospital, he prefers to rock along.

Dale Newton has been building the large, 50- pound rocking horses for 23- years. What started as a gift for his daughter, turned out to be a blessing for one of his friend's disabled children.That friend told dale that his horses seemed therapeutic.

Physical therapist lisa morse says the rocking motion helps physically challenged children build muscle strength.Then, there's the benefits of continuing to get back in the saddle.

But the rocking horse isn't just about the ride.Therapists say the soft horse hair also helps patients who suffer from sensory problems that deal with different textures.

Nicholas knows this rocking horse is part of his therapy, but he prefers to ride simply for the fun of it.

For more information: www.texasrockinghorses.com