Therapeutic Principles we follow

All lessons given are therapeutically based but are applied according to the rider at hands ability as either a means of stress relief or as a means to gain be it physical or mental function, with achieving riding skill being the ultimate goal.

Within this the basic therapeutic riding principles that we use are extracted from the Kabat Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Principles, while being applied with psychological concessions, to correct muscle tone difficulties.

With some of our challenged or elderly riders we use the horse�s movement passive or as termed some "pure hippotherapy", here the rider is not in a controlling position of the horse. In this program our main aim is increasing fitness and endurance, as well as mobilisation of the sacrum joint, increasing general range of motion and so reducing stress.

Where necessary we use a hands-on technique that employs the use of key points which activates the persons healing meridians, the basis for which is found within the Bowan's Technique. Within this we are also at present investigating the effects of applying this technique utilising crystals, not yet used elsewhere as far as we are aware.

When working with small children we often use back-riding, were we use a method of amplifying, intensifying and exaggerating the horses' movement to create a more intense form of Vestibular Stimulation. (Normalising of incorrect muscle tone and increasing of cognitive skills). This section of our program however carries much stricter contra-indications than the other riding programs we offer.

Psycho-educational vaulting and remedial riding, this is a sport and skill program, it is however designed to promote a relaxed and stress free approach to riding. In remedial riding, the application of conventional principles are adapted, so that the psychological connotations as to conventional school are removed. Creating a sense of achievement rather than that of difficulty as experienced at school, ultimately relieving the child�s problem and not intensifying it.

We use normal basic dressage, equitation and jumping principles with all our sport and skill riders. In this we place all novice riders no matter what their ages are onto a lead rein until safety within competent control of the horse is achieved.

We also use Inner Game Coaching and Alexander Technique principles within our normal riding program to teach riding without creating any stress to the horse or rider be it physical or psychological.

In sport and skill riding lessons our teaching approach to the potential rider is slower using a progressive system were equitation is divided up into more attainable aspects and each of these are practised until they are mastered before moving on to the next phase. This would start with creating of confidence within the horses' movement and height, concentration and attention would also be promoted simultaneously as the rider strives to stay balanced.

As time passes strength and endurance are created by the muscle tone stimulation derived from the horses movement and the achievement of horse riding skill.