NEW COVER FOR ARENA

The New Plymouth Riding for the Disabled Association is a voluntary non-profit equestrian group. The organisation uses the bond between people and horses to provide therapeutic riding to people with physical, intellectual, emotional and social challenges.

A brand new shelter over the Barrett Domain arena means New Plymouth Riding for the Disabled can offer an improved service to their riders. The sessions aim to develop independence and confidence in the children over time. “You can see the confidence the children develop in their posture when they areon the horse. One rider who is normally in a wheelchair recently commented that he could see everything from another perspective. He was on the same level as others.”

Kevin Nielsen, President, said the committee wanted to provide a covered arena.“Whenever we had inclement weather, in the past we would have had to cancel the riding sessions. That disrupted the schedule of our riders, caregivers and ourstaff.” A grant of $58,500 from the Toi Foundation contributed to the construction of the new covered arena.

“The whole project cost about $300k, which we paid for with grants, donations and sponsorship. We had to do some ground work as well. We extended our arena by about 6 metres and had to put in some new fencing.”

“Toi Foundation have been a big supporter of us in the past. We are dealing with many of the most vulnerable people in our community and horse riding is so beneficial to them in many ways." Kevin said the key impact of the project is that there won’t be cancellations. “We won’t disrupt the plans and the anticipation the riders have when looking forward to their rides, or the arrangements that parents and schools have in place.”

“We will provide riding sessions for over 100 people this year. That benefit flows through to our riders' parents, to whānau and siblings and even flows through to all parts of their life,” Kevin said.