IRIS

14 The IRIS Magazine
Magic
Moments
“I love learning with the horses. I like
Paddy… He’s a Cob horse. He’s good to me
and he’s really friendly. I bring him in and
feed him”. Ethan, 11
What’s at the rainbow’s end? For many
young people with additional needs it
might just be an unassuming farm on the
outskirts of Nottinghamshire.
Rainbow Horses offers Equine
Assisted Learning for children &
young people with autism, social or
communication difficulties or issues
related to attachment and trauma.
The seeds for the centre were
sown back in 2010 when owner Sue
Coombes worked in a special school
for children with autism.
Sue already owned a couple of
horses so took a particular interest
in research regarding therapeutic
horse riding and how it increased
communication, calmed moods and
even helped with balance.
An interest soon turned into a
passion and Sue launched a pilot
project for four weeks taking 6
children a week.
The results were impressive - with
one boy speaking his first word and
another sleeping through the night
for the first time.
Following these promising results
Sue took the plunge in 2011 –
gaining qualifications in Equine
Assisted Learning and setting up
the Centre.
Children in Need funding followed and
two years ago the Centre relocated
to its current home at Hill Farm in
Jericho Lane,
Barkestone le
Vale.
A visit by
Children in
Need provides
a particularly
informative
(and funny)
story, which
the five staff at
Rainbow Horses
still tease Sue
about today.
She said:
“We got the
Children in Need funding and
because of that they came out
to film us and interview me for
the radio.
“They asked me about why I
thought Equine Assisted Therapy
worked and I just blurted out
“horses are magic”.
“I thought “oh no… they’ll think I
believe in fairies!”
“But joking aside there is really
something magical about the
process when I see a young person
with the horses, really in the
moment – focused and relaxed.
“There’s no other word for it…
it’s magic”.
The Centre is aiming to run groups
during the summer holiday for
children and young people who
are in mainstream education and
struggling with anxiety, bullying
issues or low self esteem.
It’s also running a family picnic day
on Saturday 2nd July from 12pm-
3pm (bring your own rug and food).
To contact the service and
find out more visit
www.rainbowhorses.co.uk,
call 07960 031312 or email
sue.coombes67@gmail.com
Try Before You Buy At
The Disabilities Living
Centre’s New Home
A Nottingham charity offering
impartial advice and assessments to
those thinking of purchasing disability
equipment has found itself a new home.
Staff say the Disabilities Living
Centre will continue to maintain
high standards at the new premises
at Gateway House, Beechdale Road,
Nottingham NG8 3EZ.
The Centre provides individually
tailored information, advice and
assessments on disability equipment as
well as:
l A manned telephone advice
helpline
l One to one confidential assessments
l Home visiting service in the
community
l Providing scooter skills training at
the Centre.
l Advice sessions to promote
independence in the community
l Hiring out manual and self
propelling wheelchairs
l Selling RADAR keys for disabled
toilets
Please note, however, that the
Disabilities Living Centre does not sell
equipment.
For more information about the service
contact 0115 985 5780, visit
www.dlcnotts.co.uk or email
info@dlcnotts.co.uk