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Lynden

Riding for the Disabled

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Our OT suggested that this would be fantastic for Logan, and I tend to agree but I dont know much about it. Have left a message with our local centre so hopefully they'll call me back but I wondered what others experiences were.

 

Lynne

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Dd1 has been riding for 2 years now and loves it. It's a positive experience for her, increases her confidence and she is encouraged to use her voice with the horse!

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My brother did this when he was little (about 25 years ago now) and seemed to really enjoy it - certainly its the only smiling picture I've seen of him ever :). I would love to learn to ride, and think it would probably be quite relaxing and therapeutic. I don't know how you do it though. :unsure:

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We have a pony and my boys ride him, they love just being around him too as he is very gentle and understanding, horses are very sensitive creatures and are very good for helping your mood i find.

My pony needs a good routine aswell, which is great for the boys. They really enjoy brushing and feeding him as well as gently riding him. It really does help their confidence and encourages their speech as i encourage them to always talk to the pony.

He has a great calming influence on the boys and they are always happy around him. :thumbs:

Edited by Storm

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Horses are a hobby of mine, I have a horse and a small pony, so I always take my 6 yo non-verbal son with me to the stables. He will ocassionally sit on the pony for a short time but goes very floppy and needs holding on. The main problem I have in encouraging him to ride is that he hates wearing a riding hat. I have found a lightweight one for him but it still upsets him He does get a lot out of being in the open air being able to run around and get mucky, emptying water buckets and walking with me to take the horse out to the field. I think if I did not have the stables to go to he would drive me bonkers with all his energy. Most of the horses at the yard are very good with him and tolerant of his hugging their legs or biting them.

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T had lessons for over a year, and they helped him, and they helped his poor muscle tone and gave him some responsibility. He decided to stop in the end as he lost interest (he always does this unfortunatley).

 

He went through a riding school which caters for the odd SN child, they were great with him.

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I am a Riding for the Disabled Instructor! Autistic Kids really love it and it helps them to relax. One of the benefits is that in order to control the horse you don't need to be verbal so a lot of riders find it really empowering. As for floppy bodies, the group should provide a leader fo the horse and two sidewalkers to help the rider to begin with, then as muscle control improves the number of helpers decreases until sometimes nobody is needed to help and the rider can ride independantly. PLEASE make sure that the riding centre is approved by the Riding for the Disabled Association. So many riding schools do not have the experince or knowledge to help disabled people and it can be really dangerous if not done properly. Approved centres have to be assessed regularly to ensure standards are met as the consequences for horse and rider can last a lifetime if not done properly. Feel free to pm me if you want to know anything else! We have been running our group for nearly 30 years so I know what I'm on about!!! :thumbs:

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I am a Riding for the Disabled Instructor! Autistic Kids really love it and it helps them to relax. One of the benefits is that in order to control the horse you don't need to be verbal so a lot of riders find it really empowering. As for floppy bodies, the group should provide a leader fo the horse and two sidewalkers to help the rider to begin with, then as muscle control improves the number of helpers decreases until sometimes nobody is needed to help and the rider can ride independantly. PLEASE make sure that the riding centre is approved by the Riding for the Disabled Association. So many riding schools do not have the experince or knowledge to help disabled people and it can be really dangerous if not done properly. Approved centres have to be assessed regularly to ensure standards are met as the consequences for horse and rider can last a lifetime if not done properly. Feel free to pm me if you want to know anything else! We have been running our group for nearly 30 years so I know what I'm on about!!! :thumbs:

 

Thanks Loobylou - the riding school I contacted are on the RAD website - thats how I found them - just waiting for them to contact me :-)

 

Lynne

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Thanks Loobylou - the riding school I contacted are on the RAD website - thats how I found them - just waiting for them to contact me :-)

 

Lynne

 

 

 

ive been looking at them too

 

do you know if the prices are a different rate for disabled children?

id looked at my local one and it did not say any different,the prices are a bit high for half an hour-i mean im sure thats the going rate....but they bit pricy for my budget.

rq xxx

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different groups charge different rates. Ours is �5 an hour for those within our catchment area and �6 for those outside of it. With small kids and those without much muscle tone, its best to start off with a half hour ride as they will find it quite tiring until the muscles strengthen up. Some riders can't progress beyond half an hour but the benefits are still well worth while. It would be worth seeing if you could go and stroke the ponies and learn to brush them first in case the rider gets frightened by the size of them! Handling the ponies helps to increase confidence. We had one lady who didn't get on a horse for 6 months but loved to stroke them and feed them carrots. Eventually she was brave enough to get on one and continued to ride with us for 20 years until her physical difficulties became to great and she couldn't manage any more.

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DS1 (13, ASD & severe dyspraxia) has been doing RDA for over 6 years now. We have to pay �9 for a half hour with 2 or 3 other teens in the group, term time only.

 

The instruction is very, very basic, but the effort the instructress puts into the social side is outstanding. DS1 is just learning to canter a few strides and has his RDA tests 1 & 2 and the Cub equestrian badge.

 

DS2 (10) didn't make the RDA group as there was too long a waiting list. He has gone to a v good (but v expensive) BHS approved yard which does not do RDA, but really puts itself out to cater for any child or adult with a disability. We had a shaky start (the "normal" instructress was losing her confidence with DS2 - as DS2 could do things one minute... and then almost had no balance the next...) so DS2 was moved immediately onto about 12 or 15 x 1/2 hour lessons on the lunge with a BHSI, who spent much time getting his position absolutely correct and teaching him not to tip forward or backwards ie posture and balance training. Two years on he can ride a neat dressage test and even be well placed against able NT children. He has, so far, kept up in his mainstream lesson, where he has made several firm friends. He is able to canter and is starting jumping. He has his Cub equestrian badge. The yard continues to really think about how best to help him and have been absolutely brilliant. Dare I say - the ponies here are better schooled and have far better conformation than the RDA ponies, so they are actually much easier to ride.

 

Of the two boys, DS2 is less affected by either ASD or dyspraxia, but he still comes out with some areas below 2nd centile that would affect his riding. DS2 has learned and progressed far more in 2 years than DS1 has in the 6 years, but we've spent about the same overall on each child's lessons so far.

 

We did try DS1 at the other yard for a couple of lunge lessons with the BHSI, and she improved his balance and position dramatically in that short time. Bottom line is we can't afford to spend �60 a week on lessons for both boys anyway, and DS1 missed his RDA group! DS1 also found the language used at the BHS yard was too fast and complex, but I'm sure they would have adapted that had we stayed on for more lessons. Sometimes DS1 watches DS2's lesson and learns that way.

 

I don't feel DS2 would ever have progressed anything like so far at RDA, but perhaps that is not the role of RDA overall anyway? I know DS1 has the potential to ride a lot better - as they always say:"Good horses make good riders" and, from experience, I'd say the RDA riders can't learn what they are never taught!

 

You pays yer money and yer makes yer choice, I guess.

 

Hope you find something you enjoy.

 

VS

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