A horse riding club with a difference

Horse riding can have impressive benefits for children with special needs and the Riding for Disabled Association in Dubai has already helped more than 400 children since it opened in 1998.

It all started when Shaikha Hassa Bint Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum loaned three of her horses to a therapeutic riding workshop being held for 'Rehab 98' and following its overwhelming success the Dubai branch of the association was born.

Located in the lush green premises of the Desert Palm Polo Club, the Riding for Disabled Association in Dubai (RDAD) currently caters for 45 to 50 children and has eight horses, some of which are retired polo ponies. The centre is to reopen after Ramadan on October 29

Ciara and Liam Moffett, four-and-a-half-year-old South African twins with cerebral palsy have been horse riding with the association for a year and mum Kellaigh, has noted the progress her children have made in that time.

"They absolutely love it. It's such a good activity for them and it's exciting. Now they're interested in animals but before they were a bit scared. They're interacting with a lot of people and making friends. They go horse riding once a week and they've recently started piano lessons," said Moffett.

"We bought play horses at home and talked about it so they could adjust and not be weary. The only thing they don't like is putting on the hats," she added.

The significant therapeutic benefits for riders have been recognised by medical professionals. The warmth and three dimensional movement of the horse is transmitted through the rider's body, gradually making it more relaxed and supple, reducing spasms and improving balance, posture and co-ordination.

To warm up, the children all sit in turn on a small purple gymnastics horse -renamed Barney - to give their legs a stretch.

"After the summer break when they haven't done any riding their legs are stiff. The first time some kids come they can't get their legs wide enough to sit on the horse because they are using muscles they wouldn't normally use but after a while it gets nice and easy," said one of the volunteers during a demonstration lesson.

The centre operates thanks to the army of volunteers who give up their spare time to assist the children during their 40-minute lesson. At RDAD there are about 50 volunteers and two trainers accredited by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

During a lesson, the children raise their hands over their heads to improve their balance as part of a series of exercises. Once on horseback, the children have two or three volunteers assisting them throughout the riding lesson whilst horses are rein-led around a paddock by another person.

The Riding for Disabled Association (RDA) has existed since 1965 in the UK and now has centres worldwide with over 23,000 riders and drivers and over 18,000 volunteers who give up more than 3.5 million hours of their free time every year.

At Desert Palm Polo Club, gentle and reliable horses are chosen specifically for the children, despite some of them being retired polo ponies. Vaishnavi Gopal, 10, from India has been riding for two years under the watchful eye of mum, Sajitha. "At first she was scared but she loves it now. She's not scared of the height either. I usually hang around during the lesson. Since she started riding she sits more upright," said Sajitha.

Four Dubai schools have included horse riding into their schedule and so every morning students either from the Al Noor Centre for Special Needs, the Dubai Centre for Special Needs, Manzil or the Rashid Paediatric Therapy centre attend classes. The afternoon is usually dedicated to private lessons.

Jane Linn, a volunteer from Scotland previously helped out for ten years at her local RDA in Scotland and has been working with the RDAD for one year.

"I have my horse here and I actually do shiatsu massages for horses. I started helping out when I was in Scotland and learned a lot about the children and what they get out of horse riding," said Linn.

"When you see the children with smiles on their faces and their legs are relaxed and stretched down, having a good time they seem really at peace. When they get off the bus they can be quite noisy and loud but once they get on the horse it's different," she added.

Amongst the volunteers are two qualified trainers who engage with the children during the lesson, put them at ease and help them progress. Astrid Petracchi, 29, from Austria recently got involved with riding for disabled people 10 months ago.

"I've always been involved with horses and worked with them. My husband plays polo and so this was something I wanted to do," she said. Petracchi recently went to the United States for a five-week training course with the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).

"It was much bigger and quite intense with up to 200 kids coming everyday. I didn't really know what to expect until I got there. It's great for the kids though. It boosts their confidence and coordination," she said.

For the first two years the association offers classes free of charge and cater to children into adolescence. If you would like to volunteer you can apply online at www.rdad.ae or call for more information on 050 4504204.