97 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Rainbow Riders is Newfoundland and Labrador’s only nationally certified therapeutic riding centre. For over 20 years, it has been a source of strength, inspiration and friendship for young people with special needs. A child in a wheelchair acquires legs to run through a field. A child with autism makes connections. Community grows. Magical things happen. Horseback riding is a natural therapy with clinical benefits. Even the Ancient Greeks recognized the healing power of horses. The nature of therapeutic riding is such that children with a wide variety of conditions benefit from it. These range from physical conditions such as spinal injuries or muscular dystrophy to behavioral conditions and cognitive and sensory conditions such as autism or visual impairment. There is no questioning why such programs should exist. Therapists, doctors, social workers and advocacy groups all refer children with special needs to Rainbow Riders. Any child facing physical, cognitive or emotional challenges is encouraged to participate and no child is turned away for financial reasons. Unfortunately, however, children are often unable to join Rainbow Riders for years due to limited capacity. There is always a waitlist, and demand keeps growing. To help offset this demand, Raise It Up was launched! It will be the cooperation of many that ensures all youth who want to ride, can - and that all students will ride frequently enough to fully reap the benefits of therapeutic riding. “We exist because of our collective obligation to sustain opportunities for youth with disabilities in our province. We exist to rally the community behind rainbow riders, to expand its footprint and improve its facilities.” Continued..... For more information or to donate to this great organization, please visit the website www.raiseitup.ca.
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