New extension to equine assisted therapy hub for adults and children with an intellectual disability and autism

A MAJOR new extension to the Stewarts Care Equine Therapy Hub in Kilcloon will open in September.

The major new development - the Regional Equine Therapy Hub - is managed by Stewarts Care and will provide equine assisted therapy to children and adults with an intellectual disability and autism across Meath, Dublin and Kildare.

The €1.5 million Regional Equine Therapy Hub will feature both an indoor and outdoor arena, 20 stables, a sensory trail and an accessible playground. Many other sensory additions are planned for 2025 to further enhance the service.

"Movement is very important whether on horseback, a trampoline or a swing", says Terri Brosnan, equine manager at Stewarts Care. She explains that the natural hormone, oxytocin, is produced on horseback. "It makes people happy and when they are happy, they are more receptive to new learning".

The new regional hub will operate the ‘Horse Boy Method’ of equine assisted therapy to thousands of children and adults annually. The Horse Boy Method is an easy-to-follow equine assisted intervention that achieves social, behavioural, and academic goals through repatterning the brain, and calming the nervous system through nature and movement with the help of a partner horse. It has evidence-based positive outcomes and works on physical, emotional, neurological, sensory, and psychosocial goals.

Terri explains that in line with the HSE New Directions approach to disability services, Stewarts Care provides services to people in their own communities.

"We will cater for children and adults with intellectual disability and autism who will benefit from equine assisted therapy. We have a great team here including Deborah McCeanor, Liz Curran and Molly Whelan, all of whom are trained in therapeutic riding coaching and the Horse Boy Method of equine therapy. They are an experienced professional equine team, and we are all really excited to open the gates and welcome everyone to our service”.

Terri, who lives in Kiltale and grew up on a stud farm in Tipperary, has worked with horses all her life and joined Stewarts in 2024.

With over 800 planned therapy sessions a week, Stewarts Care Regional Equine Therapy Hub will be accessible to children and adults, special schools, disability providers, Children’s Disability Network Teams and mainstream schools with ASD classes. While everyone is welcome to apply, equine therapy is orientated in particular for those who will attain the maximum benefit.

The application form can be requested from Stewarts Care by emailing equinetherapyhub@stewartscare.ie

Local Cllr Caroline O’Reilly said: “I am delighted to see such a brilliant service on our doorstep for children and adults with autism. I have kept in close contact with the coordinators of the service about progress and I have been asked by Stewarts Care to circulate the application form to interested parties. Word has spread like wildfire, and I have been inundated with queries from happy parents. One parent remarked on their experience of the Horse Boy Method at another centre and could see the impact of the form of therapy on their child compared to a regular lesson. It’s an amazing addition to therapy services that are in need of resources, and I am really looking forward to supporting them and watching them grow.”

Stewarts Care is a voluntary organisation providing comprehensive community-based services to people with intellectual disabilities. At present, Stewarts Care supports over 2,000 people with a wide range of support needs across residential settings, New Directions day services, supported independent living and employment supports. Stewarts Care’s mission is to empower and support individuals with different abilities to have an enriched life experience based on their own decisions and life choices. Stewarts Care supports people to live their life as an equal citizen in their communities.