ESC: Cavalo Amigo on the way to BLOOM

CAVALO AMIGO - Associação Portuguesa de Terapia e Formação Equestre - is a private non-profit organization founded in 2007 with the aim to provide therapeutic horse riding sessions to people with disabilities and special needs residing in the district of Coimbra, mainly in Figueira da Foz and Montemor-o-Velho. Our mission is to help improve the lives of people with disabilities and special needs that can benefit from horse riding and other equine related activities. We currently work on a weekly basis with over 40 children and adults who would, otherwise, not be able to afford benefiting from such an excellent therapeutic method. In order to keep our project alive, we rely on funding and on a growing network of volunteers. Another important part of our mission is to promote activities in Animal and Environmental protection in collaboration with schools and other entities. We are trying to create a better future by teaching our children and youngsters the pleasure to know and take care of environment which surrounds them, to teach how to earn to live differently among equals. Regular activities: In our agenda we have such weekly activities for groups and individuals as hippotheraphy (54 participants), therapeutic horse riding sessions (currently 8 participants) and para-equestrian activities for disabled people. Once a week we also have a horse riding school activities for all the other interested people starting from age 6, as well as “Pony club” for children with age from 2 to 5 years. Furthermore, we organise other regular activities during children holidays (Carvanal, Easter, summer and Christmas holidays) and other activities which happen several times per year.