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FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 1976
HORSE-RIDING FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN NO LONGER A DREAM
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FOR HANDICAPPED CHILDREN, HORSE RIDING IS A SPORT THEY CAN ENJOY ONLY IN THEIR DREAMS.
BUT THE ERA OF THIS BELIEF HAS ENDED - THANKS TO LADY MACLEHOSE AND OTHER VOLUNTEERS WHOSE JOINT EFFORTS. HAVE ENABLED MORE THAN 300 HANDICAPPED CHILDREN TO HAVE RIDING EXERCISE REGULARLY.
LADY MACLEHOSE'S IDEA OF ORGANISING RIDING LESSONS FOR THESE CHILDREN CAME MORE THAN A YEAR AGO AND SHE WAS SUPPORTED BY THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB AND A NUMBER OF ENTHUSIASTS.
THE RIDING FOR THE DISABLED ASSOCIATION WAS SUBSEQUENTLY FORMED WITH LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLOR, DR. HARRY FANG AS ITS PRESIDENT. RIDING SESSIONS THEN BEGAN AT THE BEAS RIVER COUNTRY CLUB WITH THE JOCKEY CLUB DONATING ALL THE PONIES AS WELL AS SPECIAL RIDING EQUIPMENT.
LADY MACLEHOSE WHO INITIATED THE SCHEME CALLED AT THE BEAS RIVER COUNTRY CLUB YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) AND SAW THE YOUNG RIDERS IN ACTION. SHE ALSO SPOKE TO THE VOLUNTEERS PRESENT.
SINCE OCTOBER LAST YEAR, RIDING LESSONS HAVE BEEN HELD REGULARLY ONCE A WEEK FOR DISABLED CHILDREN FROM ABOUT 20
INSTITUTIONS.
VOLUNTEERS WITH RIDING EXPERIENCE HAVE PLAYED AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE SCHEME, ASSISTING THE YOUNG RIDERS AND INSTRUCTING THEM ON THE TECHNIQUES OF THE SPORT.
DR. FANG SAID A LARGER NUMBER OF HANDICAPPED CHILDREN WOULD BE ABLE TO BENEFIT IF MORE PEOPLE WOULD VOLUNTEER THEIR SERVICES IN THIS WORTHWHILE PROJECT. HE STRESSED THAT IT WAS NOT NECESSARY FOR THOSE WISHING TO HELP TO HAVE RIDING EXPERIENCE.
RIDING NOT ONLY BENEFITS THE CHILDREN PHYSICALLY BUT ALSO BOOSTS THEIR SELF-CONFIDENCE, DR. FANG SAID. THEY HAVÉ PROVED TO THEMSELVES THAT THEY CAN TAKE PART IN A SPORT AND RECREATION THAT IS NORMALLY MEANT FOR THEIR ABLE-BODIED FRIENDS.
PARENTS AND TEACHERS, HE ADDED, HAVE ALL STATED THAT THERE HAS BEEN A DRAMATIC IMPROVEMENT IN THE CHILDREN AFTER TAKING PART IN THE RIDING LESSONS.
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