Equine Therapy helping to transform the lives of young people with learning disabilities

Camphill School Aberdeen has been a leading light in supporting children and young people with learning disabilities and complex additional support needs for more than 80 years and our range of sector-leading equine therapies continue  to provide vital support and therapy to more than 50 students each month.

Therapies on offer include Riding Therapy, Hippotherapy and Equine-Assisted Therapy, helping students build confidence, take on responsibilities and connect with the horses.

Youngsters also have the opportunity to help with weekly tasks at our stables, including mucking out, filling hay nets, yard work and grooming the horses.

One student who has benefited hugely from Equine-Assisted Therapy is 20-year-old, Keir Ingram.

Keir was just 11 when his family were advised that his Special Education Needs (SEN) school was no longer able to provide the support he needed.

With no options close to home in Ayrshire that could accommodate his needs, the family made the decision to enrol Kier at Camphill School Aberdeen.

His dad, Kenny said: “Keir loves nature and animals and had been riding horses since he was five, so it was really important to us that he was in an environment where he could enjoy all those things. We did explore other options closer to home, but Camphill was just the perfect fit for Keir; we wanted him to have the best life as possible, and Camphill, could offer exactly that. ”

Equine-Assisted Therapy focuses on various exercises including leading the horse around a series of obstacles without a lead rope and backing up. The therapy also helps students to understand the horse’s cues, to be kind and gentle and how to approach and build a relationship with an animal. Over time, this helps them to have the confidence to build relationships with people.

Kenny added: “Horses are something Keir has always had an incredible connection with and when he is with a horse he is truly calm and totally at one with the animal. The fact Keir can access Equine Therapy at Camphill is fantastic for him and he has come on so much because of it. He is confident and incredibly competent when riding and he also undertakes duties such as mucking out the stables.”

Our equine therapy can accommodate young people of all levels, and we are excited to start including wheelchair users in our work through the use of an accessible horse drawn cart. This will allow more young people with complex and multiple diagnoses to access the benefits of equine therapy. It has only been made possible through the generosity of our supporters who have funded this expansion.  

Camphill also has the only registered Hippotherapist in the region. The therapy gives students the opportunity to ride bareback on a blanket, so that the rider can feel the horse’s movements to improve posture, awareness and rhythm. This can help massively with young people’s confidence, memory and concentration, communication and relationships, balance and coordination.

For further information on our extensive range of therapies, please visit https://www.camphillschools.org.uk/our-services/therapies/

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