ESC: Sport made possible: social inclusion through therapeutic riding

"Anche noi a cavallo” was founded more than 30 years ago, promoting horse related activities for disabled people, based mainly on voluntary work. Ever since there has been a steady development of the activities, now involving also other animals, and presently there are about 100 individual riding sessions for disabled people weekly and many more activities for children like pedagogical vaulting, summer day camps and the social inclusion of disabled or marginalized adults who approach their first job in a protected, helpful and healthy surrounding. Many of the activities are still based on voluntary work and for more than 10 years we have been hosting young volunteers from all over Europe coming to learn about the country, its culture and learning the language. For most of these young people it is their first real working experience and the approach of informal learning, working side by side with our staff, gives them a good idea of what it means to work with disabled people and children in a special riding school. Many of our activities are carried out outdoors encouraging a healthy lifestyle in close contact with children and disabled people. Horse riding and equestrian vaulting, practiced at a non-competitive level, allow a balanced development both psychologically and physically. It can be practiced individually but also in small groups (in particular equestrian vaulting is a team sport) where the active participation of volunteers, helpers (of whom some are socially marginalized), instructors and the children, offers a great opportunity of social inclusion. Often the volunteers are inspired about their future and this experience helps them to choose their profession or studies, other times this is a different experience, where they can step out of their comfort zone, meeting people with backgrounds and possibilities very far from theirs, growing and learning to appreciate each contribution to the community.