Horseback Riding Therapy

The Need

Neve Hanna children deal with a set of problems stemming from their past traumas and from the difficulties of immigration. Children have a low self esteem, a problematic body image, difficulties in social communication and cognitive gaps accumulated over years of neglect. These children require intensive assistance in a variety of methods in order to overcome the array of problems they deal with and bridge the gaps formed along the years.

Horseback Riding Therapy Project

Horseback Riding Therapy lessons develop children’s skills in the physical, emotional, social and cognitive domains. In the physical domain, children learn to maintain equilibrium, to sit up straight and keep a correct posture. They strengthen their back, legs and arms muscles. In the emotional domain, children develop a close personal friendship with both the instructor and the horse and learn to give confidence in the other out of trust and mutual respect. In the social domain, children develop verbal and non-verbal communication tools, overcome the language barrier and experience intimacy and warmth. In the cognitive domain, the child learns to understand complex instructions, retain a set of directions and follow them correctly.

An equine-assisted activity for the purpose of contributing positively to the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being of the children. Provides benefits in the areas of health, education, sport and recreation and leisure. Horses have the ability to mirror the feelings of the child.

Horseback Riding Therapy classes help improve physical skills as well as self-confidence and body image, encourage creation of meaningful relationships and interpersonal communication and enable children to cope with their fears and overcome them. Children of immigrant families acquire the tools necessary for absorption into Israeli society and for coping with the hardships of immigration, with the language and cultural differences and with the difficulty to form verbal and social communication.

Children are driven to classes at Haroim Farm accompanied by two Neve Hanna staff members. Except for Horseback Riding classes they meet with a psychologist at Neve Hanna to process their experiences and handle them. Children are proud of their accomplishments and of the fact they are experiencing horseback riding and acquiring a complex skill. Horseback Riding Therapy is beneficial for many of Neve Hanna children and helps the breach gaps and advance in many fields.

Project Budget includes

• Horseback riding classes.
• Accompanying staff members.
• Transportation.
• Coordination and evaluation: supervision by social workers.