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