Marlborough Riding for the Disabled needs new horses

Equine therapy is special because when a child is on the horse they benefit from the multi-dimensional movements of the horse that mirror the human walk, leading to improved trunk and pelvis stability, balance and coordination. While riding the child’s brain is receiving messages from the body and creating new neural pathways.

While part of the programme involves helping those with physical, intellectual and psychological challenges, more and more children are coming to the RDA for emotional therapy. Children from troubled homes, those suffering from ADD/ADHD or children whose first language is not English have difficulty fitting into their surroundings. The structured programmes we provide for our clients involve learning safe practice around horses, grooming horses, taking care of the tack and during the riding session, being able to control a large animal by voice commands, rein control and leg pressure. This ensures a special bond between the horse and rider, not only benefiting them physically but also creating a feeling of immense achievement and empathy. Activities can also focus on literacy, numeracy and other key skills as required.

In addition to our usual costs we currently need to retire horses for various reasons. These horses need to be replaced by 3-4 new horse ready to incorporate into our programmes.