Riding with the disabled, Amen Foundation - Ecuador

Product Details

Horse riding can provide incredible stimulation for the disabled. If you have good riding skills and a desire to support disabled children from the poorest of backgrounds you would thrive at the Amen project. This is the only one of its kind in Ecuador.

The project is located in the Cumbaya area on the southern edge of Quito, overlooking Cotopaxi. It is in a beautiful, open valley with wonderful riding and walking opportunities. Amen was founded in 1989 as an equestrian centre. Up to 30 disabled children attend riding lessons every morning. Some are severely disabled and need complete support and guidance, others are more independent.

Through a relationship with horses and the pleasure of riding, many of the disabilities are improved over a short period of time. In addition to riding, the children are given other forms of therapies such as physiotherapy and reiki. They are from poor backgrounds and are not charged for any of this. Afternoons are for able-bodied riders – mostly children – who pay for personal riding tuition. The payments are used to support the centre and the activities in the morning.

Volunteer activities

You are needed to help children every morning with their riding. This is very basic and two volunteers normally work with one disabled child in a purpose-built arena. There are normally queues of people waiting for assistance so you would be busy! The idea is not so much about teaching the children to ride but more about the relationship that can be established between them and the horses. This relationship and the stimulation of being on a wonderful animal can be extremely beneficial to the children. Positive results can often be noticed within a few weeks.

You do not have to be a good rider to help in the mornings. However it is important to be sympathetic towards the needs of the disabled and to have an understanding of horses. Volunteers with good riding skills would be asked to give lessons to experienced young people in the afternoons. You would also be able to take small groups on rides in the surrounding valleys.

There are 20 beautiful horses at Amen. Everybody, including Heidi, the Swiss director help with cleaning the stables, feeding, watering, washing and caring for them. Ecuadorian volunteers from privileged backgrounds help out twice a week. This project could not run without a small, permanent team of volunteers. Your help is needed!

Time off and accommodation

For good riders there are plenty of opportunities to take horses out and ride independently. Accommodation is in a private house with up to six other international volunteers. It is comfortable, airy and spacious but you may be expected to share a room. You would cook communally and Outreach International would provide you with an allowance for food. Due to its proximity to Quito you could easily see other volunteers at weekends (which you would have free) and join in with weekend trips and expeditions. There is a bus to the city centre which would take about 45 minutes. Like all Outreach volunteers you would be registered members of the South American Explorer Club and have full access to its facilities in Quito.