Horses Helping People with Disabilities in China

After a busy summer of camp and lessons, we prepared for the changing seasons while working to ensure consistency for participants, families and volunteers. In September, HOPE provided 145 service hours between regular weekly sessions (72 hours), stable courses (3 hours), physical therapy sessions (18 hours), public welfare open days (34 hours), and weekend inclusion activities (18 hours). HOPE also welcomed 14 new volunteers during this time.

Regular Weekly Update: In September, we welcomed back a rider who had surgery. Her recovery has been excellent—and she’s grown taller too. With her additional height, we paired her with Mu’er, a larger horse who might fit her new height better. To our delight, she and Mu’er turned out to be a perfect match. Throughout her sessions, we focused on helping her rebuild her gross motor skills while she enjoyed learning about and riding her new horse.

Stable Course: We introduced stable management lessons for our older students in September. They learned tasks such as cleaning grooming tools, caring for horses, and tidying the stables. Through these activities, they not only gained valuable knowledge about horse care but also made some new friends.

Physical Therapy Sessions: Thanks to the generous support of the Shanghai Ruiyuan Charity foundation, we were able to invite physical therapists every Tuesday afternoon and Friday morning to provide therapy sessions for our participants. They love these sessions and really look forward to them every week. We are thankful for the support of the foundation to be able to provide these services.

Public Open Day: Children from Warm Farm Courtyard once again joined us at HOPE for stable work. They were able to recognize various horses as well as grooming tools and their purpose in the stable. Some of them have even become team leaders guiding others through the tasks. It is great to see such growth and progress with the attendees.

Weekend Activities: For Septembers monthly inclusive activity we collaborated with RC Remote Car Club, where everyone was able to experience the fun of remote-control racing. The club also prepared snacks and juice for the participants. At the end we discovered that these cars come in different types: low profile ones that zoom across tracks, and off road ones that can actually cross over terrain. The children had an amazing time!

Horse News: After returning from Inner Mongolia, Heishan is feeling great— he shows no soreness in his legs or back and he appears restored with full energy. An’an’s digestive issues have also improved, though we’re still exploring more effective ways to ease her stomach discomfort. Tank remains his cheerful, foodie self, while Mu’er developed a small bump on her hindquarters that seemed painful at first but has now completely healed thanks to Coach Zhao’s care.

Thank you so much for your support of HOPE. We look forward to sharing additional updates throughout 2026.

Links:

• HOPE Website

Howdy HOPE Supporters,

HOPE has had a busy few months!

The HKJC (Hong Kong Jockey Club), in addition to providing horse racing, also has an RDA (Riding for the Disabled) program and a large charity program. Top members of the HKJC visited HOPE last spring and were pleased with our program. When they decided to hold their first “Horses in Therapy Conference”, they chose Beijing so that attendees could come to HOPE and see us in action. It was quite an honor! Priscilla, Lucia, our Program Director, and Jimmy Zhao, our Equine Trainer and Manager, spoke at the conference. The following day, a charter bus brought the conference attendees to HOPE. While it was considerable pressure on the entire team, it was also a tremendous privilege to be able to share our knowledge while networking with others. Teams from the five other centers in Mainland China attended the conference as did the Secretary Generals of the China Equestrian Association and the local chapter of the horse association.

After the conference, Lucia and Priscilla were invited to speak on a panel held in a lovely bookstore/café. Amanda Bond, Head of Equestrian Affairs with HKJC and Chair of the Para Equestrian Technical Committee at Fédération Équestre International (FEI) and Jojo Wong, the Equestrian Affairs Senior Manager of the HKJC, were also speakers. During the conversation, Amanda said that HOPE was one the best program she had ever seen! When asked why, she stated: because of the people and the horses. She thought the team was skilled and caring, and the horses were well trained and well cared for. Wow! High praise from a knowledgeable professional. Priscilla and Lucia both cried (on camera, as the interviews were being live cast on WeChat).

Currently, summer camps are in full swing despite the heat and rain in Beijing. The amazing HOPE team is working hard to provide fun, safe, social, and educational experiences for the campers. Fortunately, the team, including the horses, will take a three-four week break in August - a wise decision since the heat and humidity can be a bit too much that time of year.

 Hope all is well with you, wherever in the world you may be. And thank you for being a HOPE supporter. HOPE was the first NG0 (non-governmental organization) in mainland China to offer equine-assisted services. Your help assists us - the pioneers in this field in China - to have a far-reaching impact as others are beginning to develop such programs. Your generous donations have a far reaching effect too! We are very grateful for your support. Thank you.

In gratitude,

Priscilla

Priscilla, Amy, and the HOPE team