Horses enriching lives
QHow can riding and having contact with horses support people with disabilities? Maxine Liddell, Northallerton
Caroline says... Riding and carriage driving are beneficial for people with a wide range of disabilities. Anyone who already rides will know how much of a workout it is — exercising a wide range of muscles and improving core strength, balance and mobility. This means that it’s great for people with restricted mobility, or with physical conditions that reduce muscle condition. Often people think that they have a condition that precludes them from riding or driving when actually RDA is happy to help.
How riding and driving help
For many people, riding is something they can do when other activities might not be possible. For example, the movement of the horse works muscles without the rider having to bear their own weight. There are also enormous benefits for people with learning disabilities and autism. Riding and carriage driving offer a great environment for building confidence, communication skills, self-esteem and overall wellbeing.