Equine Therapy in Need – “Every cent would ensure our survival!”

For more than 15 years, the Reittreff Tullnerfeld association in the Lower Austrian municipality of Sieghartskirchen has offered children and young people with severe disabilities a place where they can learn to deal with their personal challenges courageously and confidently. But the future is uncertain for the Center for Animal Supported Pedagogy!

Because with will something always works
Founder Stephanie Distl knows from her own experience how important curative educational work is. What it means to live with disabilities and still grow beyond yourself. In 2009, she followed her calling to give young people a special place where they can arrive, learn and flourish. With the help of her family, she worked hard to create the current farm in Lower Austria. Without government funding, they have faced the hurdles of daily life from the start.

Intensive individual therapy as valuable development support
A highly dedicated, six-person, multi-disciplinary team of therapists, educators and trainers, with the support of their 15 animal colleagues, regularly care for children, many of whom have multiple disabilities, through animal-assisted therapies and support services.

Cruel test in times of inflation
The ever-increasing wave of inflation is also hitting the center and making it almost impossible to cover fixed costs. Cutbacks are made where possible. They would have to double contributions for riding lessons and therapy sessions for sick children and young people in order to continue the activities without financial damage. But that was and is not the case for Stephanie Distl: “Families with children with disabilities in particular face enormous financial challenges. Doctor visits, major therapies, rehabilitation and many other aspects of daily life cost money. We want to relieve them and not place any additional burden on them!”

Every week, around 160 children and young people come to the non-profit organization, which mainly works in three areas. In addition to horse riding lessons and play-educational horse riding for small children, they offer horse riding therapy for children with disabilities who are in social need or have had traumatizing experiences. Using an extraordinary concept based on the latest scientific knowledge, children are supported and supported in intensive individual units – with considerable success.

Horses have no prejudices
In curative educational work with children and young people, horses are seen as an emotional opener, a soothing place and a friend. They are always there, have no prejudices, provide safety and stability. They help young people find themselves, improve their motor skills and develop more self-confidence and self-confidence. Stephanie Distl also takes enough time to match each patient with the right horse.

“I have always been a cross-border rider who is committed to what she does with heart and soul. Because then we do it smart! Nevertheless: At this moment we are losing ground under our feet: the riding children, our horses and the entire club! Despite a lot of volunteer work, we can no longer meet the financial challenges alone and we are urgently dependent on donations!”

An endangered pony breed successfully bred
The Reittreff ponies, “Kerry Bog” and the “Connemaras”, which also come from Ireland, are bred here and raised and trained themselves. “Shorty”, a foal born in April, is not only a sensation for the children! He belongs to the endangered pony breed “Kerry Bog”. There are only about 400 animals left worldwide. Stephanie Distl has been successfully breeding rare Irish ponies since 2016. The needs of older horses and animals still in training are also taken into account on a daily basis.

Anyone who would like to see Stephanie Distl’s life’s work with their own eyes can do so during a pre-Christmas event on December 6 from 2:30 PM. At 5 p.m. Nikolo comes by and hands out his presents to the children. You can read more about the program for young and old here.