About Dare 2 Dream
Brenda and Lynn had been involved in the rescue of horses for quite some time and were looking for an outlet to use these horses and at the same time to work with children.
In 2003, Brenda and Lynn invited various institutions caring for children to join them and their horses at Walkerville in a pilot program. In January 2004, Twilight Shelter in Hillbrow accepted the invitation and so the Dare 2 Dream project was birthed.
During May 2005, Dare 2 Dream, was registered as a non-profit organisation (Registration No. 039940NPO), of whom the members are Brenda De Klerk, Lynn Wheatly, and Jade Saunders.
The program ran successfully for many years, until the COVID pandemic swept the world, and things were sadly put on hold. Since 2020, we have slowly been getting back on our feet, and are currently servicing several private clients on the therapy side. The bulk of our healing herd has recently made their home at Vega Equestrian Centre in Benoni where we have our program based.
The Dare 2 Dream volunteers donate their time and expertise to work with the young people and the horses.
Why Horses?
"People who excel in emotional intelligence are more successful in life than those who score impressively on conventional IQ tests. Emotionally intelligent people are both graceful and compassionate under pressure, they meet life's unpredictable challenges with openness and goodwill, their presence is calming and can transform the volatile moods of those around them. They realise that all emotions, even the darkest ones, have the power to protect and inform.
These are the same skills that horses teach with remarkable speed in Equine Experiential Learning.
To horses, emotion is information. Because they have been preyed upon in nature they have maintained a highly developed ability to respond to subtle changes in stance, muscle tension, breathing, and the general arousal level of other horses as well as predators. This is an ability they easily transfer to human handlers.
Those who have been abused (mentally, physically, sexually), abandoned, neglected or have suffered traumatic experiences in their lives, may have larger emotional issues to deal with and by taking them away from their normal environment to work with the horses, a platform is created in nature where an alternate way of being exists.
Equine facilitated therapy is beneficial to people with physical disabilities, psycho-social issues and mental health needs that result in any significant variation in cognition, mood, judgment, insight, anxiety level, perception, social skills, communication, behaviour or learning disabilities.
The Dare 2 Dream program enables the participants to be touched and nurtured by the healing ability of the Horse, and thereby come to know that there is a better future for all - hence the name - Dare2dream.
How It Works
Horses provide fun, interest, physical stimulation, challenges, goals, and repetition (all factors which are conducive to learning). The success of equine therapy and riding is in the stimulation of the vestibular system. The inner ear has three semi-circular canals filled with fluid, which are sensitive to movement and are activated during riding. The spinal column, brain stem, cerebellum, and cerebral hemispheres are particularly responsible for sensory reception. This in turn influences perception, movement, posture, coordination, and academic learning. The vestibular core receives information from the muscles and skin, visual and auditory receptors, and many other sensory areas of the brain.
Objectives
Give children the opportunity to experience, and explore within themselves to discover their full potential without the constraints of their conventional norms
Give hope and support to children and their parents experiencing developmental disorders
Giving children the opportunity to have contact with animals and nature and to teach them an understanding of their own well being
To promote and educate the public on the many healing benefits of horse riding
Benefits of Equine Assisted Therapy
Improves physical & mental health
Develops motor skills, balance and focus
Spatial perception and hemispheric integration
Increases speech / language and auditory abilities by promoting conversation
Assists in visual perception
Builds muscle tone
Improves academic performance
Promotes active behaviour and self image
Positively improves social skills and confidence through non-judgemental interaction with the horse
Inhibits the production of the stress hormone (Cortisol)