I, Danillo Rasia, as President and legal representative of this Association, renew our request for a contribution toward the equine-assisted rehabilitation project for children and adolescents with disabilities, led by Dr. Mazzotta at the Centro Ippico Bolognese in Rastignano.

As detailed in the financial report already submitted, the final expenses incurred during 2016 were:

– Società Ippica Bolognese, receipt no. 130 dated June 29, 2016: € 1,185.00

– Società Ippica Bolognese, receipt no. 239 dated December 7, 2016: €1,725.00

These expenses complete the 2016 program, for a total of €2,910.00.

As we plan for the coming year, we would like to share some information about the equine-assisted rehabilitation activities carried out in previous years.

A total of 41 children took part in the four previous editions of the “In the Saddle” project, as follows:

Over these four years, only two children stopped attending after the first three months of activities.

Each year, families have given very positive feedback on the program. Over the 22 sessions, they observed improvements in their children’s ability to adapt to the setting, communicate with staff and other children, coordinate movements, learn the activities offered, and perform many exercises independently.

This led eighteen families to request continued equine-assisted rehabilitation through other arrangements and financial support made available by the Department of Mental Health. Some children continued for just one year, while others have now attended regularly for four years, developing unexpected skills in controlling the horse while riding and/or participating actively and purposefully in sessions. We consider this latter achievement particularly significant for children with moderate autism spectrum disorder and very limited functional language or no spoken language.

Excellent results were also achieved with children who displayed behavioral disorders at home and at school. During equine-assisted rehabilitation sessions, the motivation generated by their relationship with the horse helped them regulate their behavior and follow the rules explained by staff, show consideration for the other children, and better control impulsive reactions. With staff support and encouragement, they also learned to cope positively with the inevitable frustrations involved in learning.

These results encourage us to continue the project and, if possible, expand it to include at least 12 participants in 2017 with motor, cognitive, relational, or neuropsychological disabilities, or behavioral disorders.

Assuming twelve children participate in 22 sessions from April to December, the cost of using the horses at the Centro Ippico Bolognese is expected to be comparable to that in 2016, approximately €3,000.

The project is jointly supported by the Department of Mental Health’s Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry unit (NPIA), which covers staffing costs. The host equestrian center’s fees would be paid through the Association, partly by families but to an even greater extent through your Foundation’s valuable contribution.

As in previous years, if the final evaluation of this pilot program is positive, interested families may choose to continue equine-assisted rehabilitation at their own expense, with a partial incentive and support contribution for children receiving care from the local NPIA service. This is made possible by an initiative developed by our Association under the Bologna Local Health Authority’s Department of Mental Health PRISMA Program. The program receives and partly funds suitable community-support projects proposed by associations belonging to CUFO-SM, the Committee of Mental Health Service Users, Families, and Professionals, which also includes the NPIA unit.

We hope you will confirm your willingness to continue this fruitful partnership in 2017, ensuring continuity of the project for more children and young people with disabilities who could benefit from it. The program will remain under the expert guidance and supervision of Dr. Giovanna Mazzotta, Child Neuropsychiatrist for the Casalecchio di Reno District and Technical Coordinator for Equine-Assisted Rehabilitation. We look forward to your reply and once again sincerely thank you for your valuable support over the years.

Kind regards,

The President (Danillo Rasia)

Marzabotto, February 28, 2017