The therapeutic value of horse
riding for people with disabilities was well known to the Greeks as early as
the 5th Century B.C. Historians quote Hippocrates as saying, "Riding in clean air strengthens body
muscles and keeps them in good form".
In 1952, Danish Liz Hartel won the silver medal for
Dressage in the Helsinki Olympic Games while suffering from partial paralysis
of both her lower limbs, caused by Polyomelitis; thus becoming the inspiration
for the establishment of the first therapeutic riding centres in the U.K. and
Scandinavia.
Riding for the
Disabled Association
Riding for the Disabled (RDA) provides therapeutic
interactions with horses in order to develop increased ability and self esteem
for children & adults with physical and/or intellectual disabilities.
RDA Centres provide suitable horses, trained volunteer helpers, accredited
RDA coaches, riding and safety equipment to run a range of equestrian
activities including:
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In September 1968 after a period of growth and success, The Pony Riding for the Disabled Association was formed. In 1983 as a tribute to the founders, the centre was re-named The McIntyre Centre.
30 horses
provide equine support for 180 people with varying disabilities each week
- The centre operates 6 days a week with 25 staff and a dedicated team of 100+ volunteers.
- During the week students from special schools attend equine sessions.
- Sat classes accommodate riders with a disability from the wider community.
- A Post-School Options Program is run to assist adults with a disability develop independent life & social skills through equestrian-based programs.
- Community riding programs for children & adults who do not have a disability are offered after school hours.
- Holidays camps are conducted during school holidays - an integrated program with riders from all McIntyre Centre programs participating.
The
McIntyre Centre will celebrate its 50th
Anniversary in 2014 and is using this impressive landmark
to launch brand new facilities that will meet growing demands of this wonderful
centre (at present it has 200 people with a disability on its waiting list...).
It’s currently raising much needed funds to meet this goal.
Internationally recognized
as a leader in the field, NCEFT offers Hippotherapy, Therapeutic Riding and a
wide range of equine-assisted activities. Significant clinical evidence exists supporting the use of Hippotherapy.
Hippotherapy is endorsed and recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) as a treatment strategy within the scope of practice for specially-trained physical and occupational therapists.
Therapy Associations and Hippotherapy Associations
The Community Association for Riding for the Disabled - www.card.ca
In 1989 CARD was
chosen to host the International Congress
for Riders with Disabilities - attended by HRH Princess Anne. In the same year, CARD
restructured its program to incorporate the medical teaching model of the North American Riding for the
Handicapped Association (NARHA) and now
offers classes in Hippotherapy, Psycho-Education, Rehabilitation and Adapted
Sport.

The
Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy is an Independent Specialist Provider of
Equine Facilitated Education for young people with learning disabilities and behavioural
difficulties aged 16 to 25.
The FCRT is based in the New Forest in Hampshire, UK. Horses
are at the centre of its curriculum since its establishment in 1976.
Equus for Humanity (estab 2007) offers Equine Facilitated Activities; Equine
Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP); Equine Facilitated Learning (EFL) and Hippotherapy.
Dr. Giselle Faubel is the Founder and
Director of Horses & Psychology and Equus
for Humanity, both equine-facilitated therapy
programs. Equus for Humanity is a non-profit foundation servicing low
income individuals.
Giselle's focus is on providing ground breaking interventions through an innovative form of psychotherapy. This modality is successfully applied to individuals, families, and groups. She is a NARHA Certified Equestrian Instructor, NARHA Certified Equine Facilitated Mental Health Professional and EAGALA Certified Instructor.
Giselle's focus is on providing ground breaking interventions through an innovative form of psychotherapy. This modality is successfully applied to individuals, families, and groups. She is a NARHA Certified Equestrian Instructor, NARHA Certified Equine Facilitated Mental Health Professional and EAGALA Certified Instructor.
Children’s Programs

Sensory Integration: This program was designed
specifically for children within the Autism Spectrum and the
child with Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID). Many
children who are currently diagnosed with ADHD may also
qualify under this category.
Social Skills Group: Groups are designed for children
who may have been diagnosed with Asperger’s
Disorder or the child who feels
left out. Children don’t necessarily have to ride the horses; the activities
are geared to develop team building, empathy, compassion, social reciprocity,
strengthen self-esteem, develop coping mechanisms, and enhance responsibility
Equine Assisted Psychotherapy: “When I do psychotherapy with the horses, the horses are my
therapists. I am very blessed to have thirteen four legged therapists and four
wonderful two legged equine assistants.” Dr.
Faubel
Adult Programs
Workshops: e.g. Stress Reduction Workshop
Cancer Patients Programs: The alpha mare program for breast
cancer survivors (pink horse-shoes) is a program designed for women who want to
think about getting healthy and living productive lives after cancer.
The Alpha Mare Coaching Program is a "transformational
experience" through the way
of the horse. It is a unique program that blends our energy and
leadership skills with the wisdom of the horse.
Hippotherapy: is a treatment that uses the
multidimensional movement of the horse. Specially trained physical, occupational, and speech therapists use this medical
treatment for clients who have physical, mental and/or developmental
dysfunctions. Hippotherapy uses activities on the horse that are
meaningful to the client.
Horses for Heros: Work with trauma survivors using Hypnosis and Prolonged Exposure Therapy and has created EQUULIBRIUM ™, a
program based on principles which incorporate horses in the treatment.
HorseWorld was set up in 1952 as "The
Friends of Bristol Horses Society" in a campaign to save the
lives of working horses who were rapidly being replaced by motorised vehicles
in industry.
HorseWorld also works with:
- Probation Service to provide 100's of placements for adults carrying out community service orders.
- Groups of youth offenders who regularly help out at charity’s equine yard.
- South Bristol CAF team with courses in equine-care to help teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds and those excluded from school.
The positive
influence gained through contact with the horses is recognised by the many
different organisations and referral schemes seeking to place individual
clients with HorseWorld - clients
with a range of special needs, learning difficulties, mental
health problems and those recovering from addiction.
The Silva Project Equine-Assisted Therapy www.thesilvaproject.org
Founded and led by Sylvia Steen, the Silva project is a
non-profit organisation dedicated to preserving the Skyrian horse, rescuing
abused animals and specialising in therapeutic horse riding.
The Silva Project Equine-Assisted Therapy Program has two components:
Part Two: Social - residents
of community group homes who often have severe mental disabilities, visit the
Silva stables every Fri afternoon to walk through the garden and see the
horses. During their visits, participants brush, walk, and feed the Skyrian Horses. These weekly visits to the Silva Estate are frequently the only time
our participants get to go outside and interact with nature.
The Skyrian Horse is a proven
children's mount and ideal horse for equine-assisted therapy and children's therapeutic riding. The small bodied species of the Skyrian Horse is one of the rarest horse breeds in the world. Skyrian Horses are friendly, social, robust, intelligent animals. In 2009, there were 220 Skyrian Horses in Greece, of which 152 live in Skyros. The Skyrian Horse is a protected species.


Their size and
disposition also make Skyrian Horses wonderful friends and companions for
people with mental, psychological and emotional disabilities: they provide a
comfortable introduction to horses for those who may be intimidated by larger
animals.
“I whole-heartedly
recommend the Skyrian Horse as one of the finest, best suited, most versatile
and talented horses that could be introduced into a youth horsemanship
program." Franklin Levinson (Way of the Horse)
The Brook - www.thebrooke.org
‘Good equine
welfare implies both fitness and a sense of well-being and is defined by
the Five Freedoms: its components are freedom from hunger, thirst, discomfort,
pain, injury, disease, fear, distress and freedom to express normal behaviour.’
The Farm Animal Welfare Council - 1979
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