Yukie Yamaguchi stands at the edge of the ring, intently watching the man being led around on horseback at the Yokohama Riding Club. He is clasping a bright-yellow Pikachu to his chest with both hands. Slowly he takes one hand off the stuffed toy and lightly slaps the horse's neck.
Yamaguchi claps her hands, her face lighting up with joy. "Oh, yes, he did it!" she exclaims. "He's done so well today. He's held something tightly with both hands, then held the toy with one hand while signaling the horse. Doing two different things at the same time like that . . . oh, that's really good!"
The man on horseback is her 38-year-old son, Yuji, who is mentally handicapped. Yuji's handicap is so severe that he was unable to attend school when he was younger. But he is learning now, surrounded by friends and teachers, some of them equine.