REHABILITATION, EDUCATION AND ASSESSMENT CENTRE FOR HIPPOTHERAPY
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Mission Statement
Our mission is to provide high quality assessment and rehabilitation programmes using the horse to provide a treatment strategy for adults and children with physical, mental, emotional, social and learning challenges and as such allow more people to benefit from Hippotherapy and associated services. Hippotherapy is a specialist physiotherapy intervention that uses the 3 dimensional movement of the horse in walk to correct and improve movement, balance, core strength in the person on the horse. It has shown to benefit children with cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, brain and spinal cord injuries and many other people with movement disorders, Research has shown that the functional ability of these people improves following a course of Hippotherapy and can be maintained over a follow up period. Children with autism and other learning disabilities with speech and communication difficulties have also benefitted from this form of therapy and associated services. We will offer alternative services to allow clients to visit and partake in activities outside of a clinic session. We are now creating a sensory garden for other clients as well. We want people to come for regular visits to REACH. We want the centre to have a professional whilst friendly feel to encourage on-going family involvement rather than the feeling of a medical intervention. All staff and volunteers at REACH will have the necessary qualification, training and are CRB/DBS checked to provide the range of services. The centre is run by the Chief Executive and Clinical Lead, Louise Barrett (Bec Sons, MCSP, HPC Reg). Louis is a physiotherapist trained in Hippotherapy and Equine Rehabilitation. She has a vast knowledge and experience of horses and qualifications in horse care. She has a great commitment to showing how these animals can truly help people who have special needs. Louise has achieved her UK CC coaching qualification in association with the RDA and is an RDA green coach. She has also obtained a diploma in equine facilitated learning.
About This Cause
REACH hippotherapy is performed by licensed therapists that employs the movement of the horse as a tool to improve posture, balance and movement as well as fine and gross motor responses for our clients. We work with physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists. This year we are also creating a sensory garden, this will allow us to widen our client base. Sometimes when a school comes to us, not all the children want to ride when they get to the stables so there will be alternative provisions for them either with the ponies, in the education room or in the garden. We also provide Therapeutic riding which may involve the person receiving instruction in horsemanship and riding skills and combining teaching skills with fun activities. The progressive rhythmic motion of the horse provides therapeutic benefit as it stimulates the muscles in the rider to help with core strength and balance. The movement of the horse is found to be similar to that of the human pelvis. Exercises taught can improve flexibility, hand eye co-ordination, concentration and has also been found to improve self esteem, problem solving and communication skills. The specialist skills of our team who have experience in healthcare, special education needs and education allows us to cater for all children with additional needs where a normal riding school may not have the expertise to cope. Equine assisted therapy uses the interaction with the horse to promote physical and emotional well-beiing around the horse. A relationship with a horse can offer challenges to overcome fears, build up trust, respect, compassion, develop communication skills, problem solving and coping techniques, self confidence and self-esteem. These skills are transferable to many other areas of ordinary life. Equine facilitated learning utilises the horse-human interaction together with a coaching-based approach and can help improve the anxiety and lack of confidence that are common problems with stress, anxiety and other mental health concerns. It is a unique learning experience where the horses are active participants, no prior riding experience is necessary as it is not performed on the horse. During the interaction with the horse, their natural responses provide immediate feedback to the actions and behaviour of the participant, facilitating improved self awareness. Some of the activities involve ground work exercises in an arena that help build a relationship with the horse, improve confidence and self esteem. These sessions involve a cycle of instruction, response, reflection and feedback which enables the participant to communicate with the horse in a way that the horse understands through body language and movement. Working with the horse cab be hugely rewarding and empowering to promote a positive change in each individual. The tranquility , peace and natural environment that each individual experiences when they visit REACH assists in providing a safe place to process their feelings and address each of their individual challenges in a fun, relaxed and non judgemental way. We can also offer Tea with a Pony. We have two miniature shetland ponies who can also travel and are available for visits to schools, care homes, day centres, special needs centres and rehabilitation settings. This is an activity that involves a fulfilling and enriching experience with our horses/ponies for people living with life changing conditions for who horse riding may not be suitable but who might be helped with some other form of animal assisted activity involving horses. This activity is specifically aimed at participants and their care/family to involve the whole unit. This activity utilises the pony experience being around our horses who are quiet and friendly and love being fussed, through patting, stroking, cuddling, brushing. This is a highly sensory and emotional experience. Making a new friend can help with confidence, relationship building, communication, social interaction and promote relaxation and wellbeing. The centre is set in beautiful surroundings and can also involve a hands off approach of just watching the ponies and enjoying our natural environment, which will now include the sensory garden that is being developed this year to encourage more children into outdoor learning with an alternative education provision. We also have an education centre which again allows us to provide alternative education provision to students in the area who do not attend main stream school, based around horses and stable management. We are also supported through the RDA to provide various ASDAN programmes including animal care, RDA proficiency tests and Endeavour awards. To support our aim and value statement, we can also provide support to the public that wish to learn and further their qualifications in horse care and physiotherapy. Thew centre will provide an opportunity to have work experience students from animal care courses at local colleges, physiotherapy students and school children for work experience and community based voluntary work. In additional, we will offer special educational needs schools regular weekly opportunity to either bring their children to the centre as part of an extracurricular activity and or, have a pat therapy session at the school. All these activities will provide an alternative to the usual curricular programme.