Disabled youth in Dartford able to use horseriding simulator thanks to new hoist

KentOnline / KMTV

The mechanical horse 'Jeremy' lets those who can't support their own weight experience the physical and emotional benefits of the sport.  Finn Macdiarmid reports.

Transcript

00:00This is Kiana. She's 17 years old and in 2020 she became paralysed from the neck down, lost

00:06all of her eyesight and was told she would never walk again. But now, at the Arrow Riding

00:11Centre in Dartford, not only can she walk, she can also trot, canter and gallop as well.

00:16Riding a horse is my whole life basically. It helps me physically and mentally and it's

00:25really good for my rehabilitation. At one point I was paralysed from the neck down and wasn't

00:32meant to walk again and horses have completely changed that and things I still can't do to

00:37this day, I can do on a horse, I can be normal on a horse and ride with people that don't

00:46have a disability and just still fit in. She says it's become like a second home to

00:51her and that's in part thanks to the kind of horses they keep at the centre.

00:56Now this here is Mia. Mia's got a very even temperament which is very good for young disabled

01:00children who might want to ride her. But for those children who aren't able to weight bear,

01:05which means to hold their own weight with their own strength, their mechanical horse, Jeremy,

01:09is able to provide that instead. And this new hoist means they can get those children who

01:13aren't able to weight bear onto Jeremy to get a simulated experience of what it might

01:17be like to ride a horse like Mia. Jeremy is named after the leader of Dartford Council

01:23Jeremy Kite and provides an experience like riding a real horse. It requires pressure from

01:27the rider on parts like the stirrups in order to steer and the simulator can be a fun and

01:32effective method of physical therapy for those with additional needs.

01:35When I watched what happened here I became totally hooked and for me it's like watching magic.

01:44When you see the riders start, we start from 17 months of age with our physiotherapist who

01:49works with them. We then, when they can't actually sit up, we then work when they actually

01:56have spinal control. We move them onto another horse that's got a bit more movement in it.

02:03Some of these riders that started like that they now compete at national level. So it is

02:09absolutely wonderful to watch. The centre is part of the Riding for the Disabled

02:15Association charity and the CEO came down to open their new hoist.

02:19Personally, I've been involved with horses all of my life and I suppose therefore it's

02:24not difficult to convince me of the huge therapeutic power that horses have. Of course actually

02:29our real job is to convince lots of other people and I think you've been here this morning

02:33and seeing the impact that horses have on everyday people's lives. And we work with more than

02:3939,000 people across the UK every year in RDA through amazing local groups like this one

02:44we're at today and that's the thing that transforms people's lives.

02:48The new hoist means that for young people who can't support their weight, they can be equestrians

02:52with ease. Finn McDermid for KMTV in Dartford.

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