Riding for the Disabled at Ambury Park Centre
Ambury Park Centre, a not for profit organisation, is nestled in an idyllic rural setting close to Mangere Mountain on the corner of Ambury Regional Park in Mangere Bridge. The Centre that comprises three programmes - Riding Therapy, a small independent Secondary School for second or third chance education and an adult Vocational programme has a licence from Auckland Council to operate on 4 hectares of Ambury Regional Park land.
The Centre opened in 1983 for Riding Therapy and has developed considerably since then. Intensive and Remedial riding therapy are offered with a physio therapist employed for intensive therapy and an experienced coach for the remedial therapy. The intensive programme for the more severe needs combines physiotherapy with riding therapy and hippo therapy. The gait of the horse in both areas is used to develop muscle strength to improve balance, coordination, mobility, and processing for walking, talking and fine motor skills. It caters for all people from children to adults with disabilities and other challenges such as autism, social anxiety, and mental health. Less well known is that in addition to development in physical mobility the riders progress cognitively, socially, behaviourally, and psychologically. The magical relationship with the horse helps to change lives.
The Kelliher Charitable Trust has been a long-term supporter of Ambury Park Centre for it’s riding for the disabled programme and, in 2021, provided a grant to sponsor the maintenance of four horses.
Examples of feedback received:
“My son was born with a special condition called Pitt Hopkins Syndrome and was gifted with innocence, charm and childish happiness forever. He has great challenges in life, and he has to work hard to achieve the basics of balance, coordination and speech. Over the past five years the staff and volunteers at Ambury Park have supported him to share in the joy and therapy of horse riding. I believe, the “Intensive riding for the disabled programme” at Ambury Park has made the single greatest contribution to his balance and ability to walk……… I get to share in the joy of his beaming face as he trots the length of the arena or listen to his chuckles as we go up and down the small hills.” (Father)
“A 4-year-old diagnosed with one sided Cerebral Palsy. She has only recently started with us at Ambury Park Centre for physiotherapy utilising the movement of the horse. She started off being very shy and insecure and needed a lot of encouragement. M now loves doing her little tricks like kneeling on her horse and balancing while the pony walks her round the arena. She does not realise, that while doing all these special tricks, she is working hard on her muscles in her core and hip area which then improves her walking. We do special walking and balancing exercises once she is off the pony, often outside on our balance playground. Mum has noticed her walking has improved and it makes it easier for M to keep up with her peers at kindy.” (Intensive Therapist).
“A 13 year old boy. Initially, he would not go near the horse or touch the horse and was totally overwhelmed. He would jump in and out of the arena but avoid contact with the horse. The horse, Bilby, was put in the arena with no tack and S asked if he would like to see what he could do. He then started engaging, asking questions, and he can now focus fully for the entire hour session. By the end of the year he was able to tack up, untack, put boots on and trot off the lead, and was awarded a certificate of achievement.” (Remedial Coach)