Therapeutic Riding Associaton of Greece (TRAG)

NGO

WHAT DOES THERAPEUTIC RIDING TEAM

Taught me how to walk...

Therapeutic riding is an alternative rehabilitation programme, where the horse is the therapeutic medium; it improves the overall health and quality of life of people with physical, mental, or emotive disorders or handicaps.

The horse becomes an extension of their own body; it helps them venture into new experiences and discover unprecedented feelings: the pleasure of a ride or the thrill of a walk in the countryside, or, mainly, that precious sense of movement and personal independence.

The walk of a horse is similar to the human gait; therefore, it transmits to the rider's body that same movement which legs produce in people with no disabilities.

In this way, the torso muscles of people with mobility problems are strengthened significantly; at the same time, sitting in that particular upright posture promotes good respiration.

Therapeutic riding is a unique experience for people with handicaps, who never thought that they could ride; it differs from traditional treatments of gyms, physical therapy, and hydrotherapy.

BENEFITS
I came to know lands that I had never seen before...

The horse has a particular gait, warmth, and a capacity to bond and communicate with humans; coupled with fun team activities, this offers-according to worldwide research-unique physical, mental, sensory, and psychological benefits to people with special needs. Such benefits include:

• Increase of Symmetry
• Improvement of Body Balance, Posture, and Head Control
• Reduction of Spasticity
• Broadening Range of Movements
• Enhancement of Coordination and Mobility
• Improvement of Attention and Focus ability, Visual-Motor capacity, and Sense of Direction
• Improvement of Body Awareness, Energy, Activity, Perception, Alertness
• Promotes Sociability, Self confidence, and Self Esteem

I learned how to fight dragons...

Some conditions for which therapeutic riding is an indicated rehabilitation method, include:

• Neurological disorders
• Cerebral Palsy
• Spina Bifida
• Muscular Dystrophy
• Spinal Column injuries
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Stroke / Apoplexy
• Head injury
• Polyomelitis
• Blindness
• Deafness
• Arthritis
• Absence or Disfigurement of Limbs
• Learning Disorders
• Down Syndrome
• Autism
• Behavioural Problems