Horses help the disabled
INTERNATIONALLY renowned Canadian physiotherapist Philippa “Pippa” Hodge and Paralympic equestrian coach Sally Francis hosted a hippotherapy workshop in Bundaberg recently.
The workshop, funded through local disability support charity the Bradley Wolf Braeveheart Association, enabled Bundaberg Riding for the Disabled to develop programs by offering hippotherapy to clients affected by cerebral palsy and others who may be unable to ride in their usual equine-based programs.
Hippotherapy is a treatment strategy used by therapists to assist clients to improve their functional abilities such as sitting, standing, speaking, walking and activities of daily living.
RDA spokeswoman Jackie Moorhead said some clients were then able to join the regular riding program or enjoy the benefits in their
everyday lives.
Fifteen physiotherapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists attended the course, along with 20 RDA volunteers wishing to become accredited hippotherapy horse handlers.
“The course will enable the four local therapists who are
attending the course to provide the specific therapy that is hippotherapy within their own disciplines in conjunction with the trained team of horse handlers from Bundaberg RDA,” Ms Moorhead said.
On the day Ms Hodge, assisted by level-two hippotherapist Wendy
Mungomery, worked with the therapists who travelled from around Australia, while Ms Francis focused on providing training to horse handlers and the horses from the Bundaberg RDA Centre.
Ms Mungomery, a well-known practising hippotherapist from the Gold Coast, was for many years a
riding member of the Isis Pony Club.
Bundaberg RDA Inc receives no government funding or financial assistance. Their services depend entirely on donations from the public, fundraising by members and sponsorship from local businesses and other organisations.