Therapeutic riding at the Education, Work and Care Institute Dornava

Both, equine assisted therapy as well as hippotherapy offer a wide variety of options to assist persons with disabilities and persons with difficulties in different areas of life.

The therapy is intended for:

• Children, adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities
• Physically disabled persons (people with cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, etc.)
• Blind and visually impaired
• Deaf and hard of hearing
• People with ADHD
• Persons with sensory integration
• Persons with autism
• Persons with behavioural and personality disorders

The therapy includes:

• Contact with the horse (learning the correct approach to the horse and behaviour in the vicinity of horses, caressing, petting a horse, learning about equine body parts, etc.)
• Getting to know the horse's environment and equipment for horses (correct cleaning and brushing the horses, cleaning the arena, learning about the horse care equipment, care for the equipment and horse care accessories)
• Exercises next to a horse on the ground; learning the proper handling of horses on a leash and learning the basic commands (stop, walk, etc.) in terms of acquiring basic skills and raising self-esteem and self-confidence
• Learning how to properly get on and off a horse
• Horse-riding (learning about the basic balance patterns, proper stance, exercises for coordination of body on horseback etc.)
• Exercises to improve concentration and attention (with the help of devices and applications)
• Thanking the horse (caressing, treats) at the completion of therapy.

Note:

• During therapy, safety of the persons involved in therapy is provided for (a riding helmet, a safe environment).