riding and epilepsy

[Silvia]

As some of you might know, I'm a special needs teacher. Last week the parents of one of my students (he has mild cerebral palsy and learning disability) told me they had started taking their son to a yard for riding lessons. This is not a registered riding school and there is nobody with experience in teaching disabled children. They gave him a riding hat and led him around in the indoor school on a pony while there was a group lesson going on. My student was treated very kindly, though and he had a great time. It would be such a good thing for him if he could learn to ride.
What concerns me is that this boy suffers from epilepsy and has frequent seizures. What if he has one while he is on the horse? I guess even a reliable, well trained horse might spook with a convulsing 9 year old on its back. Not to mention the risk of the boy hurting himself when he falls off, even if the horse doesn't spook. So is there no riding at all for people with epilepsy? What precautions or safety measures could be taken?

[Vicki&Milo]

Whilst looking into epilepsy (my friend recently got diagnosed) I found the 'epilepsy action' (sorry, don't know the address, but will come up on google) web-site. It had loads of information on and I'm guessing if you emailed them they might be able to give you some good advice.

Personally, I'd suggest looking into riding for the disabled if there is one locally. I'm training as an occupational therapist, and know there are loads of benefits in riding for children with CP, but RDA centres have trained therapists which ensure that the rider gets the most out of the riding (positions, support etc) so that it doesn't do more harm than good.

[chev]

I have epilepsy. My actual seizures are very infrequent now (drug controlled) but I still have regular petit mal seizures, which result in passing out at times.

I make sure I wear a hat at all times. I don't ride alone on roads. If I was rerally sensible I'd be wearing a body protector too - that's something this little boy could do.

I think the risks for a small child on the lead are probably minimal - if someone is leading the pony, and someone else is on hand alongside, if he did start to convulse it should be possible to grab him and get him safely off before anytyhing too scary happened.

I have fallen off as a result of epilepsy - the horses I've come off have all been pretty ok about it. None have vanished over the horizon anyway.

I won't stop riding because of epilepsy - in fact I rarely think about it now. Strictly speaking I'm probably more at risk of falling under a car walking my kids to school, or off the top of the stairs - it's basically a matter of balancing the risks.

Glad he had a good time - and I hope he gets to continue riding. :)

[horseygal90]

Also, on the RDA front, I believe *don't quote me* that they have two 'runners' along the side of the hose so if anything goes wrong (horse spooks, rider has trouble of any kind) they can catch/get them off asap.

[Pink's lady]

RDA centres do not allow epileptics to ride unless their seisures are well controlled. There are very few disablities that RDA centres cannot cater for but unfortunatly severe epilepsiy is one of them.

However, the large RDA centre I taught at have many riders with epilepsy, but all are well controlled by drugs and always have to have their carer present.

Saying that though, they have one rider who loves to ride and the lesson is the highlight of her week. Unfortunatly, she has severe epilepsy which is triggered by the horses motion. She regularly had fits on the horse and she shouldn't in theory allowed to ride. However be parents have signed a disclaimer and understand that the the RDA's insurance do not cover her. When she fitted, she'd always end up 'falling' off (her helpers would lower her to the ground) and she's usually end up under the horses legs. However, the RDA centre have some amazing horses that can be totally trusted to just stand and wait and have been well trained in those situations. Usually she was exteremly upset after the fit but was raring to get back on 20mins later.

Through trial and error, we worked out exactly what triggered the fit (trotting and sudden turns). Now a fit is the exception, not the norm, and she had progressed to riding independently (with two side walkers for safty)

I would be extremly conserened about the boy riding at an unregstered riding school though, esp as they've no expereince of teaching disabled riders. Apart from anything else, he won't be covered by insurance.

I would definitly investigate any local RDA centers and see if they can let him ride.

[Silvia]

Thing is - our local RDA places wouldn't take him on. They have rules about riders with epilepsy, one of which is riders must have been seizure free for six months before starting.
I guess the possible benefits outweigh the risk if he is on a leadrein on a safe horse. But the riding school should know - and I don't think the parents told the instructor. But then its their responsibility and I don't want to spoil the boys fun by interfering... :(

[chev]

Didn't realise the riding center don't know he has seizures.... that would worry me. They do really need to be aware of that - if they're not and he convulses the potential for a serious accident is very high.

I have, since being diagnosed, been told that there is a high chance that some schools would turn me away. But I wouldn't not disclose the fact just so I could ride.

Could you have a word with his parents and see if they would let the instructor know at least? Apart from anything else, by failing to disclose the fact they probably wouldn't be covered by the school's insurance in the event of an accident - whether it's related to teh epilepsy or not. That has very serious implications.

Hope this can be resolved without this lad losing out.

[~*sugarlump*~]

my school isn't an rda but they have an epilptic (sp?) they have two people on either side of him one is the stable girl and one is the parent. he had to be on a lunge or leid rein at all times, and he was on the slowest gentlest horse there.
but you could tell he loved it from his face, in most cases the benefits outweigh the costs!

x

[kayjayhorses]

I didn't realise that the RDA wouldn't take this little boy on, would have thought that if they got the parents to sign a disclosure and they were one of the people standing by the horses side that there wouldn't be a problem. I supppose its an insurance issue bet its a condition that the insurance company have put in place.