Specially-abled kids take equine therapy in Bangalore

Bangalore, Aug.26 (ANI): Many specially-abled kids in Bangalore undertook Equine therapy for improvement in health and developing confidence in their lives on Tuesday (August 25).

Equine therapy or, horse therapy is only a few years old in India.

The Army Service Corps Centre (ASC) and College provided the opportunity to children with special needs by lending its horse-riding grounds and facilities for boosting the equine therapy, just before the commencement of their national polo tournament.

Pushpa Bopaiah, a therapist who has trained several physically challenged children since 2000, helped the children ride on horseback at the ASC Centre campus on Tuesday.

Bopaiah said the therapy helps strengthening body muscles, thereby boosting the confidence of physically challenged children.

"American physiotherapists have found that rhythmic movement of the horse, which is similar to human beat, the process of moving on the horse, your pelvic moves, your muscle strengthens, you gain confidence and your posture, your balance, definitely, it improves. That's what I found in the past eight years and running this therapy," said Bopaiah, a therapist.

There are many kinds of disabilities that affect a child's basic communication skills. However, Equine therapy is stated to help the physically challenged people to improve their quality of life.

Deepak, a physically challenged boy, undergoing the equine therapy said that the therapy has helped him improve his hip balance.

One of the physically challenged boy said that he was feeling improvement in hip balance, back pain was also reducing. "Earlier, I had some back pain, now it's less," said Deepak, who also said that he is developing some confidence.

Many children have enrolled for the riding sessions at the A.S.C Centre, who would be trained by Pushpa Bopaiah.By Jaipal Sharma (ANI)