Boy with rare condition being helped by horses

A mum on the Isle of Man has praised a local horse-riding charity after seeing her 11-year-old with a rare genetic condition, come home happier, chattier and more confident after each session.

Margaret's son Donnchadh, who has Kibuki syndrome, has been going to Riding for the Disabled classes for four years.

The condition affects about one in every 32,000 people, and Margaret believes he is the only one with it on the island.

At the stables in Andreas, she said: "On the days when he's here he'll be much happier, he'll be walking a bit taller. It's his confidence as well."

Donnchadh has undergone open-heart surgery and also lives with epilepsy and Chiari malformation, requiring ongoing care from a range of medical specialists both on the Isle of Man and at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

His condition causes hypotonia, or low muscle tone, which affects his mobility and makes tasks many people take for granted considerably more difficult.

While walking 100 metres was "nothing for us", it was "quite challenging for him", Margaret explained.

The family first heard about the charity through Donnchadh's school, when he was referred and began sessions during term time.

Margaret said before Donnchadh started, she knew very little about horses or the benefits they could bring.

"It was very much a learning journey," she said.

Over time, she saw a noticeable difference in her son, particularly in his mobility and confidence, able to carry out everyday activities like putting his shoes on.

A key part for Margaret was the impact of the community surrounding Donnchadh as he grew up. It gave her "more reassurance of support that's going to be around Donnchadh", she said.

Support could "slip away" as children got older, Margaret explained, which is a "challenge for parents with kids with additional needs or health conditions".

She said: "The more people in the community that know about Donnchadh, the more help there is. It's all thanks to wonderful organisations like this," she added.

The island's off-shoot of Riding for the Disabled recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Volunteer Kat Ions said the charity delivered more than 1,000 sessions every year.

She believed one of the most important aspects of the sessions was an environment where people were encouraged to focus on their abilities rather than their limitations.

"People with additional needs always get told that they can't, you can't do that, they're not able to do this," she said.

"When they walk through our doors, we don't look at them with any additional needs. We just make sure they have the best time ever and make sure that they just reach their absolute ultimate."

While the organisation is not a traditional riding school, sessions incorporated a range of activities designed to develop motor skills, coordination, communication, and confidence.

Kat said forming a connection with an animal can often help someone develop the confidence to build friendships with people too.

"We get a lot of first words out of children," she said, adding: "That just melts your heart because it really is magical."

Over the years, the centre has also created opportunities for participants to take part in competitions, giving them the chance to experience the pride and excitement of achieving something alongside their peers.

With new activities such as show jumping already being introduced, and ambitions to explore vaulting, Kat said they hoped to encourage younger generations to get involved.

"Why would we stop? If we can, then we do," she said.

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