2014/15 Taster sessions follow-up (360G-SomersetCF-A377421)
Funding Organization
£2,620
Recipient Organization
Horse therapy sessions for disabled children
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Grant Details
| Amount Applied For | 5000 |
| Amount Awarded | 2620 |
| Award Date | 2016-02-09T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Beneficiary Location: Country Code | GB |
| Beneficiary Location: Geographic Code | E01029163 |
| Beneficiary Location: Geographic Code Type | LSOA |
| Beneficiary Location: Name | South Somerset 010A |
| Grant Programme: Code | Growing Futures Match Funding Challenge |
| Grant Programme: Title | Grants to Groups |
| Impact Category | Advance people's physical and mental health, wellbeing and safety |
| Last Modified | 2017-10-19T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Planned Dates: Duration (months) | 11 |
| Planned Dates: End Date | 2016-06-30T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Planned Dates: Start Date | 2015-07-01T00:00:00+00:00 |
| Primary age group | Children (5 – 12) |
| Primary beneficiary | People with mental health issues |
| Primary ethnicity | White |
| Primary issue | Mental health |
| Recipient Org: Charity Number | 1147898 |
| Recipient Org: Description | We provide horse-based therapy and activities for families with children with special needs with the aim of helping them cope with everyday challenges and enable future integration in the community. The fact that we involve the immediate family unit in the activities is unusual. Siblings are usually not considered and parents are so used to being told that their child will never be able to do more than they can at present. However, they come to us and find that their child “can” and “will” do so very much more. This gives them hope for the future and so much more confidence in their child’s ability with the resulting ‘ripple’ effect in the everyday life of all the family, at home, play, school and work. Initially our activities were developed for those on the autistic spectrum but many other neurological and behavioural conditions have also been found to benefit from our therapy, such as Asperger’s, bullying/exclusion from school, lack of confidence and self-esteem, communications difficulties, emotional and eating disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Rubinstein-Tabi, Downs Syndrome and other Chromosomal disorders. The main activities have been developed to work around horses, the dog, fresh air and fun, with the surrounding countryside providing a very safe and non-judgemental environment where anxiety levels drop and the learning receptors open. Sessions may start with all the children of the family letting off excess energy on the trampoline before meeting the horses. Close contact with horses is highly sensory and sessions may include activities such as just touching and smelling, progressing to stroking, grooming, painting, decorating, leading and eventually sitting and lying on a pony. The movement of the horse is very beneficial in releasing hormones which reduce stress and open the learning receptors. Small children are placed in front of an adult and double ride, older children will ride solo with staff and volunteers in attendance providing security and confidence. Our sessions are fun, therapeutic and instructional all at once and are directed by the needs of the client, which means each session is totally different. Siblings have their own problems and anxieties, often they don’t understand why their brother or sister behaves as they do and why they, the siblings, are frequently on the receiving end of hitting and shouting ‘tantrums’. They also very often assume the role of protector for their sibling and/or parent(s) and have become 'old before their time'. Siblings have their own session where they are able to act their own age, regain their vitality, learn to laugh again and discover that their sibling shouts and hits them ‘just because they are there’ it isn’t personal. As a result they are much happier and their life at home and school improves enormously. Parents are often at their wits ends when they get to us and they initially may join the session with their special needs child. However, they soon find that the child is very happy and ignores them so they feel able to relax, leave the children with our staff. They will then perhaps have their own time with a horse, sometimes even falling asleep on it or even going into the office for a cuppa and a chat or even a sleep on the sofa – it is their choice. However, they all leave us looking forward to coming back next time! Activities in a safe, non-judgemental environment for children with special needs ranging from those on the autistic spectrum and with other neurtoligcal disorders to behavioural/emotional problems. as a result of e.g abuse, bereavement, family breakup, adoption/fostering or exclusion from school. Our aim is to release stress which in turn will improve the feeling of self-worth, confidence and ability to learn. This will result in fewer meltdowns, better relationships and the ability to integrate more fully into their family, schools and the community. In turn this will result in a much happier life for everyone. |
| Recipient Org: Web Address | http://www.horseshoesandhandprints.org |