Helping children by horsing around

INCHEON ― Seeing kids change is the most incredible feeling, says Yoon Ga-eun, one of the three instructors and professional riding therapists at Riding Healing Center in Incheon Metropolitan City.

“I’ve seen many of these kids brighten up after just a few classes. They used to have no idea why they were sent here, but these days they come running to me to tell me how happy and more adjusted they feel,” Yoon told The Korea Herald.

“Kids gain confidence simply by sitting tall on horseback. I tell them they look amazing, and encourage them to sit up taller. With juvenile delinquents, they become more gentle on a horse, and pay attention to me, probably because they’re scared.” 

The 25-year-old is one of the first riding therapists in South Korea, which is only in the beginning stages in the field. She graduated from Yongin University’s Department of Special Physical Education, and studied therapeutic horse riding under a U.S. certified professor.

She gave an example of the impressive progress she recently encountered of a 10-year-old girl with a mental disability.

“The girl used to scream all of a sudden, frustrated at her own slowness, because she was unable to put her thoughts into words even though she perceived and recognized things just like the rest of us,” said Yoon.

Now, the 10-year-old has ceased her screams and mounts on her horse with a newfound sense of confidence.

“She has great posture, and she knows how to hold onto the reins,” Yoon added.

The horses used in these classes are specially tamed to the point that they could be called dull. This is so they won’t startle or gallop in class, even when they are mounted by some of the more heavily challenged kids who may suddenly have seizures or scream.

In case of kids suffering from ADHD, horseback riding teaches them about patience.

“I know that horseback riding is considered an aggressive and active sport, an image molded by horse racing. But it’s actually a sport of moderation. Kids become more patient, waiting on the instructor’s words and the horse,” she said.

The instructors, for their part, have a lot on their plates as they need to be experts on not only physical or mental disabilities, but on horses too, not to mention being very attentive to make sure nobody gets injured. Some riders might also need instructors to hold their backs up because they cannot sit up straight on the horse.

The biggest difference between therapeutic riding and regular horseback riding is that the child or teen is not pushed to learn as much and as fast as they can. On the contrary, the lessons are designed to be slow in pace and focused on the specific needs of each child or teen to help them improve, both inside and out.

“I know we’re in the beginning stages, but I think we’re bound to see more progress from here,” said Yoon.

“Kids today are subject to a lot of heartache and stress. I believe horseback riding can be one of the solutions to help them heal.”

By Park Min-young (claire@heraldcorp.com)