please help. any wheelchair users who ride?

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Spotsrock

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A friend of mine uses a wheelchair. Haven't known her too long but really like her. She's great fun. Anyway. Invited her to ride my totally reliable voice activated pony. The yard is ramped and we discussed mounting, we have a huge block and oh will help. My friend has ridden once and liked it but couldn't work out her balance. How do I help her? She can turn through the waist but nothing below as far as I know. Oh will be able to walk alongside and hold her but i'd like to help her do it by herself like she does everything else otherwise I run the risk of highlighting her difficulties not facilitating despite them. Plenty of people who can't walk ride but I don't know any to ask. All help gratefully received. Thanku.
 
Too be honest it is VERY risky. I would suggest finding a riding for disabled group at least at first so you can let an experienced helper and horse show her the ropes.
Once you have seen how they help her and how she manages to get on and off you will then know if you can manage it
 
I don't use a wheelchair but have worked with RDA for many years, so might be able to help.
Do you have access to a side-saddle? Or a saddle with moveable blocks for the thighs? I'm sure there is a well-known make of 'normal' saddles that does them. Our RDA group bought a specially adaptable saddle many years ago for riders with Cerebral Palsy which had similar blocks to hold the riders legs in place.
 
Your local RDA may be able to help (although the one I was at did always have ppl on foot near the horses).

Another option: if horse is voice-activated get her to do that... as in start with lunging (free-schooling may be better if horse will to avoid tangling dangers). That way horse learns her voice aids whilst she is safe (assuming he is safe on the lunge!) and should be able to respond to them when she is on-top too. Then perhaps work up to her riding whilst you lunge?

Walk-only for quite some time too I imagine... you can always make it fun with PC-style games/obstacle courses or a nice hack (if safe place for a walk-hack).
 
I help at Riding for the Disabled, not disabled myself. But it really would amaze you the core strength of people whom have no lower body strength.
Brilliant if your pony is reliable for voice commands (I dream of this day for mine) like everybody who rides, your first ride, second, third you are a bit *whoa* strange sensation, being wiggled about on top of something your not entirely in control of. So it must be even more of a sensation for those who can't use their lower half.
Don't let yourself treat your friend gently or as if she has entirely no balance, we are all wobbly to start with, let her get the hang of it, ask her to sit up tall- then relax and flow with the horse.
Holding her to start of with is a brilliant idea and what we have to do with some riders, but soon they build up there core strength and slowly are able to hold themselves.
p.s (this may not be the case) but I've found that people who have little or no use of their lower half have a tendency to hold onto the horses mouth. Don't let her begin that habit :)

All the best, sorry most of it is just a babble! :D:D

p.ss -Brilliant ideas from everyone else, ask your local RDA, they might even be able to lend you some stabilizing equipment!! (Why do I not think of this....)
 
Give her a balance strap of some description to help her sit up.

My big lad has done RDA before, paraplegic riders in that particular group had straps to help them sit without slipping. I'm sorry I don't know more!

xxx
 
I dont but Matt and Kate both ride Taz. Matt has cerebral Palsy and Kate has spinal damage and sometimes uses a wheelchair.

we all also have experience with RDA . Matt rides there and I was volunteer for years ;)

There are quite a few things to think about ....including do your friends legs move at all and does she have any voluntary movement in them. ( matts clamp and shake, kates have mostly voluntary but also very twitchy movements. Taz accepts both of these extremes despite usually being quite a sesitive to the leg gal ...... but some horses might either not like it or get confuggled.

....... does your friend have any use for stirrups or any usable strength in her legs to aid balance or are her legs totally floppy / no sensation ? she might be better without ????


balance wise I would suggest either a treeless saddle or a bareback pad..... both easier imo for balance issues and deeper for "sitting into" than an english one. Matts physio commented that he sat up straighter riding Taz than his rda pone.... the big difference was the saddle ( and rda now want to get a treeless !!! I know you might not have one but if could you borrow one to see ??? . With an english saddle you could attach a balance strap for her to hold onto perhaps .

.... she might even be ok bareback ;)



a late thought... but has your horse seen the wheelchair yet ... on the first session that might be all he will need to learn about, having the wheelchair near him and perhaps your friend leading him from it..... I say that in case you need the wheechair right by him for her getting on / off. I would have that very firmly ok before she gets on ;)

hope it works out as well for you as it has for us :D :D :D
 
I might be able to help, I use a wheelchair but not all the time. I have lost my leg above the knee so I really do have balance issues when I ride so I might be able to help you here, please pm me if you would like to know more or if I can be of any further help to you and your friend. It is not easy but most things can be overcome with some thought and alot of help, so please contact me would love to help :)
 
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