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Tuesday, December 24, 2013

By Marcia Marks


People cannot imagine how limiting life can be for the disabled and how few opportunities they get to take part in normal activities that able bodied people take for granted. Giving a disabled person the gift of learning to ride a horse, and being able to wear Toggi jodhpurs just like the other riders, will give him a sense of pride and importance. Some riding schools may be able to supply second hand jodhpurs and other riding gear for these youngsters. Having a special collection of second hand clothing from all the riding schools will make a big difference in the lives of these special needs children.

There are organizations that provide therapy to special needs children by bringing them into contact with and assisting them with riding specially trained horses. The therapeutic benefits that children with physical and psychological disabilities gain, is often made possible by volunteer instructors. There is a charity organization in South Africa who currently has 12 qualified volunteer instructors and an additional 120 volunteers.

Some horse owners are fortunate enough to live on a farm and be able to stable their horses' right there where they live. This makes it easier to take care of the horse and see that they are living a healthy, balanced life. Their stables have to be cleaned regularly, their hooves checked and their coats groomed.

The better the rider does this the more the horse will trust her. If the rider is insecure and fearful the horse will pick that vibe up and become skittish. That will be dangerous for both and needs to be avoided at all costs. When it is raining the horse has to contend with the rain in his face, looking out for puddles and being aware of his rider's instructions. If the rider controls the situation well, there will be little chance of the horse stepping in a hole and breaking its leg.

Many animals exhibit a special bond with humans. It is this special, non-judgmental relationship that horses in particular appear to have with special needs people. That is what makes the work this organization does so valuable and special for these children.

It must be both invigorating and soothing to get up in the morning and go out for a long ride on the farm in spring when everything is coming to life after a long winter. Watching the countryside change from day to day and appreciating the beauty of nature at its best is good for one's soul. With the summer months the rains arrive and there are lots of extra precautions a rider needs to take during this time.

In people's busy lives today, there are few who even think of doing volunteer work. Life is so busy, and everyone has their own families to attend to, but this would be a good lesson even for small children to learn if they are able to go with parents when they go and volunteer at these organizations. They would learn how to treat these children and to accept that it is okay to be different.

Horse riding is a wonderful sport, so different to any other. Exposing our children to the world of horses may get them interested in riding themselves. Even just watching equestrian shows on television will give them insight into what horse riding is all about. When they see how smart the Toggi jodhpurs are they will definitely want to be able to wear a pair of the well-fitting, comfortable jodhpurs they see all the other riders wearing.




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