NEWS DESK
Developing on the back of a horse Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au IT’S well known among equestrians that being around horses can have a therapeutic effect on mental health, but there are also a range of physical and social benefits that come with riding these beautiful animals. The coordinator at Riding for the Disabled Peninsula, Jenny Stidston, says the program is helping riders gain confidence, and at the same time improving their coordination, balance, muscle development and communications skills. “RDA helps to enrich lives through specialised programs and a relationship with horses, and it can be very helpful for people with a variety of physical and intellectual disabilities,” she said. Stidston says the riding experience also helps participants develop a sense of personal control. Studies had shown that young people who participated in horseback riding and horse care showed increased emotional regulation and resourcefulness. Operating from its new home in Main Ridge, courtesy of the Uncommon Folk Foundation, Riding for the Disabled Peninsula provides an all-weather, undercover program for riders, supported by trained volunteers and accredited coaches. Stidston said the farm provided a great environment for the riders and the horses. “We were so thankful to the Uncommon Folk Foundation, they have
Leading the way: Annette Bright on Opal, lrft, with volunteers Kate WrightSmith, Sarah Oliver (holding the rope) and Jane Joycey (at the rear). Above: Ruby on Opal with volunteers Penny Pryce, Lisa Sheahan and Jane O’Shea. Pictures: Supplied
provided a perfect venue for us and somewhere for our horses can stay,” she said. “Our participants can continue to enjoy the experience of horse riding and benefit from the exercise and social connection.”
Stidston said the program had been embraced by the peninsula community, with local sponsors making its continuation possible. Participants in the programs are selected by special developmental schools in consultation with RDA
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Mornington News
8 August 2023
coaches or through RDA assessment and a waiting list. Stidston said programs were tailored by accredited coaches in consultation with therapists to help the riders meet needs and achieve specific goals. These programs included early
intervention, horsemanship, mounted activities, vaulting, music, strength and coordination exercises. For more information email RDA Peninsula at rdavpeninsula@gmail. com or go to rdapeninsula.com.au
Peninsula walk that’s made for TV SORRENTO and Portsea feature in an episode of the new SBS series Great Australian Walks With Julia Zemiro. The series sees Logie nominated actor, presenter, and comedian Zemiro invite audiences on a journey exploring 10 of Australia’s most historically significant walks. Episode one traverses the paths of Point Nepean and will screen at 7.30pm Thursday 10 August. Throughout the episode Zemiro takes in the coastal towns of Sorrento and Portsea, their ocean views, beaches and national parks and learns about some of the great local stories. Arriving by ferry with Bass Strait on one side and Port Phillip on the other, Zemiro sets off on the 13.75km walk around that part of the southern Mornington Peninsula, home to some of the nation’s most expensive real estate. Featured in her walk are the site of the quar-
antine station built at Point Nepean to keep out scarlet fever, an old military fort used to defend Australia in WWI and WWII, and the beach where Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared in December 1967. Along the way Zemiro meets a variety of people who share stories about the area, including: Walkers Journal editor and co-founder Tamsin O’Neill who founded the publication during the pandemic when movement outside of walking was largely restricted; Historian Tom Griffiths who speaks about Holt’s disappearance; former convenor of Australian Albanians Erik Lloga who worked as a translator for Kosovan refugees quarantined at Point Nepean in 1999; “millionaires walk” resident John Fisher; and actress and Bunurong woman Tasma Walton (Mystery Road, Cleverman, Blue Heelers) and Bunurong elder Aunty Gail Dawson.
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