Plymouth Mega-Ride Nominated Charity - The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys
About The Elisabeth Svendsen Trust for Children and Donkeys
EST provides donkey-riding therapy to children with special educational needs and disabilities at its purpose built Centre located in Ivybridge. The children who attend the Centre have a wide range of disabilities; some have learning difficulties, others are physically disadvantaged or have behavioural problems, brain damage or sensory impairment. We also have Centres in Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Sidmouth.
We aim to bring enjoyment and pleasure into the lives of the children and our work helps with their co-ordination and overall development, as well as giving them the satisfaction that comes with the achievement of learning riding skills.
There is a fantastic variation within the content of each therapy session in order to enable it to meet the ever-changing demands and expectations that are being placed on the Centre. To help with this responsibility, each indoor arena has an extensive array of equipment at its disposal.
The equipment is used in a variety of ways to perform tasks to aid development in areas such as fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination, body posture, colour, number, shape and symbol recognition. All the children, even with the smallest achievement, grow more confident each session which helps to strengthen and improve their own self-esteem.
Working closely with Schoolteachers, Physiotherapists, speech and language departments, other professionals and parents, the Centres’ Riding Instructors, who each hold a British Horse Society Assistant Instructor qualification, are able to develop and deliver riding lessons. There are many areas worked on during riding therapy sessions.
Balance - To improve balance, riding therapy includes carrying out exercises on a still or moving donkey. By twisting, reaching and stretching balance is enhanced in normal, everyday tasks.
Confidence - When helped onto a donkey for the first time the children are, naturally, a little apprehensive due to the distance from the ground and feeling the donkey move. After a few lessons they gain trust in the donkey and the Riding Instructor. They then begin to touch and stroke the donkey, give verbal commands and try to take control, each time gaining in
independence.
Co-ordination - By performing simple tasks using eyes, voice and body children with special educational needs and disabilities gain many advances in co-ordination. Encouraging the children to place a ring onto a pole can take plenty of concentration and skill but the achievement can clearly been seen.
Mobility - This is the greatest benefit of all for every child who depends on walking aids, wheelchairs or adult support and can never move about unaided. Whilst riding a donkey the children move more freely, faster and most importantly independently. For those children who are unable to ride the donkeys we have specially adapted carts which they can access with their wheelchairs.
Pleasure - Children love donkeys! Great pleasure is gained from touching, stroking, grooming and watching these gentle animals. Riding sessions are thoroughly enjoyed along with the challenge of learning and improving basic riding skills at each visit to the Centres. Children also benefit from the simple pleasure of their visits.
Sensory - Use of sensory toys whilst riding the donkeys enables the children to maximise the benefits of the therapy received. This can be through brightly coloured, textured or noisy toys. Sensory therapy also relates to the touch of the donkey whether it’s from sitting on the donkey or touching it whilst saying thank you at the end of the ride. Children are also encouraged to groom the donkeys.
Speech and Language - Children who have speech and language difficulties are encouraged to practise and develop the use of key words in their spoken vocabulary. Many activities in the arena involve children repeating words, sounds and listening to and processing verbal instructions, in order to perform simple tasks. These include finding and sorting colours and shapes as well as matching objects and letters. At the end of each ride, children are actively encouraged to Communicate, whether by words or sign, “thank you” and “goodbye” to the staff and volunteers who have helped them, as well as their donkey!
During term time each Centre is fully committed to its schools timetable
programme, which operates over a four-week period, offering a combination of sessions to individual schools and classes. Each Centre works with up to 150 children per week and has an average of 26 schools and groups who visit regularly. Session times can vary greatly from either full or half days to even hourly. A session length is determined by the needs of the children and the size of the class.
Better known as “drop in” our Holiday Club operates on certain days during school holidays. Children with special needs come to the Centres with their families to ride the donkeys; siblings also have the opportunity to ride at this time. Everyone is welcome to stay at the Centre for as long as they wish, making full use of the play area facilities and at the same time getting to know other families. Many often bring a packed lunch which can make it a full day out for all the family. Once a month each Centre holds a Saturday Club which is run on exactly the same basis as the Holiday Club.