E.A.R.T.H. Centre NPC
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Mission Statement
Through our Equine Assisted Therapy and Learning programmes, we educate and train the bodies and minds of children with disabilities. Strengthening and improving their bodies and minds, assisting with minimising barriers to opportunities in mainstream society and improving their quality of life
About This Cause
The EARTH Centre has been providing equine assisted therapy for children with disabilities since 1984. Hundreds of thousands of children in South Africa are classed as “special needs”, many of whom cannot afford therapy. We provide therapy free for children whose families cannot pay, helping them become stronger, healthier and more resilient, giving them the ability and confidence to interact, socialise, and integrate successfully into society, despite the challenges they face every day. We make a difference in their lives and create hope through horses. We partner with special needs schools in Gauteng, to reach children who are from marginalized and vulnerable communities in South Africa. We work with the children weekly to help strengthen their bodies, develop crucial skills and encourage them to engage intellectually. Children with disabilities are often socially isolated and marginalised members of society and, if a family does not have access to everyday basics such as regular employment, safe accommodation and 3-meals a day, therapy will not happen unless it is sponsored. Imagine ….. You are a child with Cerebral Palsy living with your Mom and 4 siblings. Space is limited and there is no room to do the exercises that help relax your spastic muscles or to keep your wheelchair inside. Your world is very small. You are a non-verbal Autistic child living with your Gogo and extended family in a small flat in Hillbrow. You find it difficult to communicate so don’t go out much as you are easily overwhelmed and feel unsafe. Life is difficult for you You had to go and live with your Auntie after your Gran passed away. Children at your new school make fun of you because you speak differently and stutter. You hate the world How we make a difference Our Equine Assisted Programmes are dedicated to helping people with disabilities. Through contact with horses and the outdoors, we provide physical, social, psychological and emotional therapy as well as behavioural growth and learning opportunities. Participation in our programmes can also assist in breaking through social and economic barriers and integrating positively into society. We also specialise in Equine Facilitated Learning programmes for corporate clients, vulnerable youth and recovering addicts. Therapeutic riding is a unique and highly effective form of therapy, which utilises the natural movement of the horse to stimulate the vestibular and proprioceptive systems of the rider, thereby opening up and developing neural pathways to the brain. The movement of the horse activates the sympathetic nervous system, leading to improved learning and skills development. Improved cognitive function, enhancement of gross and fine motor skills, increased independence, and a range of physical changes related to posture, balance, coordination and strength, are benefits often retained from therapeutic horse riding. Why Horses? - Horses are non-judgemental and assist in rebuilding confidence without fear of criticism - They help to open the channels necessary to connect with others and to reconnect with oneself as an individual, thereby providing a profound sense of peace and wellbeing - They assist in overcoming emotional blockages and enable behavioural modification and interaction with others - They help to build appropriate boundaries, promoting self-awareness, self- acceptance and acceptance of others - Being with horses reduces feelings of isolation and anxiety Why Therapeutic Riding? - Riding improves muscle tone and relaxes tight or spastic muscles - Riding improves gross and fine motor skills - Riding promotes an active response from the rider, improving balance and coordination - Riding develops self-discipline and self-confidence - Riding promotes independence and encourages decision making - Riding encourages communication and social skills - Riding a horse teaches new skills This therapy is highly effective in a short space of time, goes beyond what can be achieved in a therapy room and continues to benefit the children after completion of the programme. How does Therapeutic Riding benefit children with disabilities? Therapeutic riding is multi-faceted, with many benefits. The movement of the horse produces 1,000 random movements every 10 minutes, which the rider responds involuntarily to. The rhythmic movement stimulates the vestibular system, enhancing motor and sensory input, and works with the proprioceptive system to encourage balance and spatial awareness. Research has shown that being in the presence of horses is beneficial to a person’s health. When riding or interacting with a horse, minds are engaged, motivated and focused, tension reduced and dissolved, as the participant’s heart rate will naturally begin to synchronise with the slower heart rate of the horse, thereby reducing stress levels and negative emotions. The 3-D movement (up/down, back and forth, side to side) of the horse's gait stimulates muscles that the rider would normally use to walk and causes the rider to reposition themselves with each step (approx 1,000 times every 10 minutes). The rhythmic movement activates the vestibular and proprioceptive systems, enhancing sensory input. Horse riding provides every type of sensory input all at once. For instance, when the horse walks or trots, the rider gets vestibular input (sensation felt by fluid moving in the inner ears). Each time a hoof hits the ground, the rider feels proprioceptive input (sensation of body position felt by pressure to muscles and joints). Riders receive tactile input (touch sensations to the skin) when stroking the horse, touching their mane and from the equipment, they are riding on. When the horse is in motion, visual input (sight) is received from the moving environment. Auditory input (sounds) include the rhythmical clippity-clop of hooves over different surfaces. Connecting a new behaviour to as many areas of the brain as possible helps to develop new neural pathways or solidify underutilised ones. By tapping into all five senses, we can create and refine these pathways in the brain. The more frequently these pathways are stimulated, the more automatic the behaviour becomes – imagine a rider who is unable to close their fingers around the reins, over time slowly developing new neural pathways to be able to do so! Physically, it improves muscle tone, spastic muscle patterns, neck, back, limb and trunk control, posture, range of motion, awareness, balance and coordination, and learning and practising crucial motor skills. The 3-way movement of the horse (forward and backwards, side to side, and up and down) mimics the motion of the human pelvis whilst walking. Unused and underdeveloped muscles are automatically stimulated and strengthened by the horse’s movement which, in time, can lead to increased flexibility, strength and mobility, often resulting in increased independence for our riders. Mentally, it helps develop foundational skills for children who have difficulty with concentration and integration of the brain hemispheres. Exercises and activities are given to the children whilst riding which enhance their sensory stimulation, and the neural pathways to their brains are activated by the movement of the horse improving learning and cognitive function. Interaction with the Instructor, horse and volunteers improves relational and social skills as well as broader life skills such as self-regulation, effective communication and decision-making which helps the children integrate more positively into society.