Horse riding show for special needs riders
The club's therapeutic riding program provides horseback riding sessions to children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities
Special needs riders of The Manor Equestrian Estate entertained audiences on Sunday when they showed off their horse riding skills during a training show.
These riders have been with the estate for 13 years and use horse riding as therapy. They are between four and 17 years of age.
The club’s therapeutic riding programme provides structured horseback riding sessions to children and adults with physical, cognitive and emotional disabilities.
The club’s therapist, Andrew Berry, has since left for Europe and Susanne Steyn has taken over as the new therapist.
“Therapeutic riding helps with a range of disabilities, including ADD and ADHD, amputations, autism, brain injuries, cerebral palsy as well as learning and emotional disabilities,” Steyn said.
Depending on one’s disability, the benefits of therapeutic riding often include improved joint mobility, balance and coordination, relaxation of tight or spastic muscles, increased muscle tone, strength and flexibility. Most importantly, it can improve the children’s self-confidence through an enhanced self image and also improves their ability to learn, concentrate and focus better.
The club is planning on eventually incorporating the special needs riders into the other riders’ competitions.
