The power of horses is helping people recover from brain injury

An innovative rehabilitation centre’s working with horses to help people recover from brain injury and the results are proving highly successful.

Calvert Reconnections in Keswick is the UK’s first acquired brain injury (ABI) rehabilitation centre to combine traditional clinical therapies with physical outdoor activity.  Among the range of facilities available at the centre is the Lake District Calvert Trust Riding Centre, a British Horse Society (BHS) approved riding school that offers riding and carriage driving for patients. The stables are purpose-built with indoor and outdoor arenas, a viewing gallery, state of the art lifts and electronic hoists and, for those unable to ride adapted wheelchair accessible traps, too.

A study by the University of Basel found that animal assisted activities, including the use of horses, can significantly improve the social behaviour and communication skills of patients suffering from brain injuries. This is due to several factors, including how highly motivated they are to care for the horses. The effects can be seen particularly strongly in those who are hard to reach through standard therapies, either because of issues with social interaction or problems with cognitive function and verbal communication. Further research from the US has also found that the motion of riding a horse in walk helps develop a patient’s balance, strength, coordination and self-confidence.

Calvert Reconnections’ equine activities are tailored to the participant’s individual rehabilitation programme and delivered by qualified instructors working closely with the centre’s clinicians.

Stables Manager Henri Carew, a qualified BHS instructor and Riding for the Disabled (RDA) Coach, said: “The vocational opportunities for participants are having a hugely positive impact on their life. It motivates them to get out of bed in the morning to look after the horses and creates a structure to their day. This all takes the focus off the participant’s own challenges and on to the care of the horses and other riders, too.”

For more information, visit calvertreconnections.org.uk