Horsing about

With some help from Satan’s Little Helper, six-year-old Tiah has found joy through weekly horse rides at West Auckland Riding for the Disabled

Every Tuesday morning, six-year-old Tiah and her dad Ben make their way to Riding for the Disabled (RDA) in West Auckland. For some kids, that might be just another activity – but for Tiah, who lives with spastic quadriplegia cerebral palsy, it’s a joyful moment.

“She’s non-verbal, in a wheelchair and her world is limited,” says Ben. “But we are blessed compared to some of the other kids in her condition. She has plenty of personality and smiles and laughs a lot.”

Thanks to support from Satan’s Little Helper, Tiah was gifted a term of riding with RDA and a plushy horse toy to keep the magic alive at home. It’s been a delightful addition to her weekly routine.

Finding her rhythm

Before discovering RDA, Ben couldn’t have imagined his daughter on a horse.

“The staff welcomed her with joy and love,” Ben says. “She had nothing but good reactions and straight away she was excited.

“They just said no drama, we’ll get her on – and it’s now a crucial part of our weekly routine. She absolutely loves it!”

Each session is supported by a team of volunteers, music and encouragement.

“Some days she can be quiet or subdued but she loves music and they all walk around with her singing songs – and she just brightens up.”

Over time, the sessions are helping Tiah build strength in her core and improving her balance and posture – areas that are especially important for her long-term mobility and independence.

“We’re trying to develop her muscles to hold herself upright more. It’s something in her life that she didn’t have before,” says Ben. “It’s a great activity for her to do and, over a prolonged amount of time, it can have a big impact.”

A world carefully navigated

Because of lung scarring from multiple chest infections, Tiah is prone to illness and has to avoid winter exposure.

“She has a pretty persistent cough, so we have to be really careful,” says Ben.

But, when the sun is shining, they make the most of it.

“Every sunny day we go for a ride together. She sits in a trailer buggy that I’ve got attached to my ebike and I tow her – it’s all-terrain, so we can go anywhere.”

One of the few regular activities they can do together, Tiah relishes the fresh air and freedom.

“She loves being outside,” says Ben. “We’ve got two dogs and she loves them too. They’ve got a great relationship.”

Community makes all the difference

For families like Tiah’s, community support is essential. Groups like Parent to Parent, the Cerebral Palsy Society, and Antara free counselling services have provided practical and emotional support along the way.

And so too has Satan’s Little Helper. The egg-shaped plush horse that now sits in their home is a symbol of the joy and progress that weekly horse riding brings.

Ben says he wants to keep Tiah riding her horse Eclipse for as long as possible – but that comes with a bill. Thanks to Satan’s Little Helper, the cost is now next term’s problem.