Core of strength

“There is really a long-term effect. It’s not only physical, it’s social and mental. It’s not just a pony ride.”

Horses are working wonders for people of all abilities and ages at Riding for the Disabled Association’s Doveton branch. Volunteers told CASEY NEILL about the program’s value and their desperate need for more support.

Volunteer Gloria O’Connor has seen riders make remarkable physical, social and mental improvements during her 15 years with Riding for the Disabled at Doveton’s Myuna Farm.
She was living in Berwick when a friend told her about the program and she decided to sign up.
“I always had a love of horses,” she said.
Gloria now lives in Pakenham Upper so can’t often travel to sessions anymore.
“I slowed down as far as coming for coaching and just remained on the committee,” she said.
“I do the newsletter and we have the horse buddy program.
“Each sponsor gets a report once a term from the horse, and a photo from their horse.”
She’s encouraging others to get involved.
“Getting coaches is really important because if you don’t have enough coaches you can’t do the sessions,” she said.
“There’s all those practical things that have to be done.”
Fellow volunteer Rick Beeby said the group had nine horses.
“We’re all volunteers. All our programs we run by qualified coaches under the national coaching accreditation scheme,” he said.
“We’re always looking for younger trainees.”
He helps out at Doveton two days a week and serves as vice president and volunteer co-ordinator as well as coach.
“I was working in the disability support field,” he said.
“Many years ago RDAV had a mobile unit where they transported horses to inner-city venues.
“I did that for a while.
“Then I retired and they haven’t sacked me yet.”
Rick was named the Casey Senior Citizen of the Year on Australia Day last year for his many years of contribution to the group.
“I used to drive trucks and I had some surgery done on my back which meant I had to give truck driving away, and I had to re-think what I was going to do for the rest of my life,” he said.
“I think it was the fact that after surgery I was going to get better whereas a lot of people don’t, they have that disability and that’s it.
“I sort of grew up in an area where there were a lot of horses in Hornsby, New South Wales.
“Then, later on, I worked as a jackaroo and a station-hand mustering and droving.
“Then my oldest daughter became interested in horses. At one stage I had three children doing pony club.”
When the Gazette stopped by, a rider named Luke was sitting up straight on horseback.
Rick pointed out foam blocks on the sidelines.
“Someone with very poor core muscle strength actually puts their elbows on that and they gradually learn to lift their head up,” he said.
“When Luke started he couldn’t sit up at all. He had no core strength.”
Riders generally have a one-hour session each week.
“We work out a program based on the rider’s needs,” Rick said.
“We have riders who need side walkers and riders who ride independently.
“We focus on their abilities and how we can develop those abilities.”
Luke’s mum, Sue Williams, has watched his core improve during his 10 years in the program.
“He’s got cerebral palsy and cortical vision impairment,” she said.
“He’s not blind but the message takes a while to get through.”
Scoliosis causes him to “sit crooked” in his wheelchair but horse riding helps him to sit up straight.
“He loves it,” Sue said.
“When he knows he’s coming he’s all happy. He loves being on a horse.
“He can trot. He’s very relaxed on the horse.”
Sue helps out the group on a Thursday afternoon.
“I’ve seen some kids come there petrified of the horses,” she said.
“The coaches are so patient. One girl, they laid her down near the horses until she got used to them.
“They’re amazing horses.
“I probably come more for the horses, because I love the horses.”
She walks alongside them during sessions and feeds them on the weekends.
“I used to come to Myuna Farm with the kids and didn’t know what RDA was,” she said.
“At some stages we can have a lot of volunteers and in the blink of an eye have not many.
“The coaches are all getting older.
“In five years’ time, it’s scary.”
Coach Coosje Dubach is the group’s president.
She joined 16 years ago as a volunteer.
“It wasn’t my intention to become a coach,” she said.
“There is a big need for us to have people training as a coach.
“We provide all the training.
“You need to be able to ride a horse these days. In the past you didn’t.
“We can train anyone who’s interested.
“It’s a very rewarding job.
“Basically, the minimum is half a day.
“We have morning sessions, afternoon sessions.
“Preferably one day a week.
“As a coach you have to make sure everyone is safe – side walkers, riders, horses.”
A variety of riders take part.
Some more able riders complete tasks like placing rings onto poles.
Some are quite labour-intensive, requiring support from several people to remain upright.
“These riders are more therapeutic riders,” she said.
“It aids with their posture, with the strengthening of their muscles.
“The movement of the horse, it helps them.
“It’s quite similar to walking.
“For a person in a wheelchair it’s quite a great experience.
“Their posture and their strength improve a lot.
“We had some really great results within RDA with riders who were quite wobbly.
“There is really a long-term effect.
“It’s not only physical, it’s social and mental.”
Coosje also welcomed volunteers who were willing to care for the horses on the weekends.
“People who are working but still would like to do something, they can join our roster,” she said.
“That could be only once a month if they like.
“We have morning and afternoon feeding and we check the horses out then.
“We have a few people who work and do that, mostly people with a bit of horse experience.”
Most horses are in their late teens or early twenties.
“We’d like to go a bit younger,” Coosje said.
“Our vet bills are really horrendous.
“Some people offer their horses on a lease. That way when we can’t use them anymore we can give them back.
“We don’t have to look after them in retirement.
“We buy horses as well, or sometimes they’re gifted to us – they’re a donation.”
They trial a new horse before committing it to a session.
“Not every horse is suitable,” Coosje said.
“They need to be pretty quiet.
“If they have had experience like a pony club … the better, really, for us.”
There’s also a need for committee members.
“A few new young energetic people would be fantastic,” she said.
Barbara Caulfield is training to become a coach.
“I finished work to look after my family and wanted to do something during their school time and I’ve always loved horses,” she said.
“After the first few months I was approached to do the orientation to coaching.
“I’ve done that, I’ve just qualified for that, which means I can go to level one.”
Barbara’s studies have included reading books and running classes under supervision.
She said seeing riders improve was a huge reward.
“I’m not working anymore but I’m very much part of a team,” she said.
“At work I used to have lunch breaks with my mates and I have that here too
“I think it’s a really important part, that sense of community.
“I also get my kids involved.
We’re part of the feeding roster.
“I bring my kids and I make them get their hands dirty and wheelbarrow all the hay around – even when the weather’s not good and they’re rather stay at home.”
Email rdadoveton@gmail.com or call Coosje on 0432 869 215 to get involved.