“We’re going to get you on one of the horses” I’m told. “So you can see what the children go through in their lessons. It may look like a stroll in the park but the kids make it look easy.”
These aren’t normal horse riding lessons but a type of therapy designed specifically for autistic children and run by charity called Riding for the Disabled Association.
Led by Sue Anderson, a former nurse and riding instructor, autistic children from different schools in Nairobi go to the small grassy field in Karen every week for their riding lessons.
Last Thursday, it was the turn of students from Fairmile School. School director and founder Ferne Eshuchi tells me the children look forward to it all week.
“This is their day. It’s their favourite time of the week but it also makes a huge difference in their personal lives; their personality, ability to pay attention, listen and to even talk if they can,” She says.
The programme started in 1996 after
two children were trained for the special Olympics.
“When I was first told I only had six months to train these two children so they could compete, I did not think it could be done. Six months for someone who had never been on the horse sounded impossible.
“But bless them. They did and even came back with a handful of medals, which was very special. I decided that instead of just having the icing on the cake, we needed the cake.”
A new student is introduced to horseriding for the first time. /KAGWENI MICHENI
After this, RDA was created and has seen over 200 children go through the programme which has changed the lives of so many.
Jane Tyrell, the paediatric therapist tells me, the day entails more than just horse riding as it is also about building social skills.
“For a lot of them, it’s about being more self-aware, more self-confident. For them to listen and pay attention is a huge achievement.
Her goal isn’t necessarily getting the children to follow all the instructions, she adds, but just getting them to sit calmly.
“Everyone thinks it is normal for a toddler to have a temper tantrum in public. Once they get older- seven to nine and through to their teenage years, it stops being socially acceptable. It becomes a problem.
“The thing with autistic children is that they look normal, they don’t necessarily look disabled. People don’t understand their behaviour. If we can help them be calm...if the horses can do that, then I’m happy.”
Students on their riding lessons. /KAGWENI MICHENI
EXERCISE AND PHYSIOPTHERAPY AT A GO
Physically it is not only a work out for the children, but also a form of physiotherapy for the students, particularly those who have problems walking.
As I get on the horse, ridden without stirrups or reins making it much harder to balance, Sue walks me through everything the students do.
“You can feel the movements in your pelvic muscles. They mimic the same ones we use when we walk and you have to keep yourself balanced. You’re working your core, your back, your hips and building those muscles," she says.
And the results are clear to see. Fern tells me she sees physical changes in her students all the time.
One of them is a six-year-old girl, who although small in stature, sits confidentially on a horse as she is led around the course by two volunteers.
“Three weeks ago, she couldn’t walk. She couldn’t even stand for very long. But she’s walking now and she isn’t the only one."
The benefits of equine therapy have been researched and the treatment is increasingly being used for children with mental and physical disabilities.
A recent study that looked at children
with autism
aged between six and sixteen, found that those who had received the therapy showed significant post intervention improvements in irritability and hyperactivity by their fifth week.
Jane Tyrrell prepares to lead students to their lessons. /KAGWENI MICHENI
The study also found improvements in social cognition, communication and the amount of words spoken.
Other research has shown significant decrease in the stress hormone cortisol following 11 weeks of equine intervention.
“We’ve had kids who don’t talk saying their first words on horseback. Kids who don’t interact, who will hold eye contact with you when you tell them to do something,” Jane says.
“It’s a lot more than just riding a horse but there’s nothing magical about what we’re doing. We’re just making them feel comfortable enough to do these things. Maybe the expectations on the ground are different.”
These are sentiments supported by the study which hypothesised that the non-verbal attention or the shared attention experience may serve as a platform to improving social communication skills.
SPECIAL HORSES REQUIRED
It also suggested that the human-equine experience or the warmth and rhythm of the horse’s body may have a calming effect on the children.
The choice of horses is a large part of what makes the therapy so successful. RDA owns five horses, a mixture of retired racehorses, guard horses and failed jumpers that are trained to work with children.
“The horses are extremely special. You can’t just pick any one for this job.” Sue says. “We must match the temperament and the ability of the horse to actually carry a child with particular needs.
“One child may be very quiet, but one may scream out. The horse needs to be able to handle that.”
And it isn’t just the children who benefit from the therapy either. For the animals, it’s the chance for a new lease of life.
Alfie, one of the newest members of the RDA team. /KAGWENI MICHENI
One of the horses was brought to RDA after failing in jumping, polo and racing and was depressed and neglected.
This changed after he was trained and became one of the best ones in the group.
“He found his purpose here, he could stand with a child on top of him and everyone was telling him what a good boy he was for the first time,” Sue tells me.
“He particularly taught me that after all these years RDA is a two-way streak. Yes, we’re helping the children and yes, that’s the primary objective but this horse has blossomed. He was doing a job he excelled at and it was wonderful to see the change in him.”
The key to their success, I’m told, is positive reinforcement, something a lot of the children may not get daily.
“Psychologically they get a huge boost. So much of life can be negative for them, so we are all about 'yes, you can do this'. If they achievement something, even if it’s really small, they get praised for it.” Jane said.
And It’s clear to see.
Just as the sessions end, a new student is brought to the field. One who has never ridden before.
She doesn’t speak, makes no eye contact with anyone around her and when first placed on the horse, her body is stiff and slightly off balance.
But after some coaxing from the instructor, you can see her visibly relax and by the end of it her entire face lights up with a smile.
“Physically, it’s the most fantastic workout, but they think they are just having fun and that’s the biggest motivation for kids.”