Claremont Therapeutic Riding Centre
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The charter of our Organisation dictates that we provide (horse) riding therapy, sport, recreation, training and safety programs for persons with or without disabilities: integration; liaison; facilities; coach training; for riding, driving or any other equestrian activity for people with disability. The quality of life is improved by participation in a sporting activity that provides therapeutic and recreational benefits that are both mentally and physically stimulating; it allows them to be active participants not just observers.
Social contact and involvement with the community is an important aspect of our group. Once participants have reached an accepted standard we endeavour to integrate our riders into other equestrian environments such as pony clubs, adult riding clubs, trail riding and dressage competitions.
Lessons provide both therapy and learning experience for the participating riders psychologically as well as physically. Our qualified coaches are trained to work with a wide variety of disabilities: cerebral palsy, autism, hearing, vision and intellectual impairment, multiple sclerosis, acquired brain injury and paraplegia.
Such is our Centre's work with the disabled, that in 1992 CLAREMONT THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTRE was nominated and won the Community Event of the Year in the Australia Day Awards. Also the head coach of the Centre, M'liss Henry was nominated and awarded an OAM in 2008 for her tireless efforts in this specialised field.