A funding agreement signed with the Instituto Cavalo Amigo by the Municipal Department of Education (Smed) of Porto Alegre will guarantee equine therapy sessions (therapy with horses) for 12 students with disabilities enrolled in schools in the municipal network. The term is valid for 24 months and has a monthly investment of R$9,000.
“We intend to start activities next week. It is a service with proven effectiveness for behavioral, emotional and cognitive development, providing greater autonomy to students”, explains the Secretary of Education, José Paulo da Rosa.
The students, previously selected, will have weekly consultations, with an interdisciplinary team made up of psychologists, physiotherapists, physical educators, a pedagogue and an equine therapist for equine therapy. “In the future, we want to expand services to more students”, adds the secretary.
The equine therapy sessions will take place at the institute’s headquarters, in an area of 10 hectares in the Belém Novo neighborhood. In addition to riding, the program also includes stall work (solo), in which activities of daily living will be worked on, such as feeding, hygiene, veterinary care and other routines.
“We know how equine therapy is capable of providing children with specific needs with a giant leap in their biopsychosocial development”, explains Sandro Fernandes, psychologist and coordinator of the Cavalo Amigo Institute. The program will include assessments, anamnesis, horse care, therapeutic care for parents (individual and group) and a semi-annual report on the students’ progress.
