An occupational therapist is determined to introduce some fun, love and sense of responsibility into the lives of some of Grahamstown’s street children.
An occupational therapist is determined to introduce some fun, love and sense of responsibility into the lives of some of Grahamstown’s street children.
Misty Nish spends her mornings as an occupational therapist working for the Department of Health and her afternoons at the Assegai Sports Stud in Alicedale.
As a talented equestrienne, she decided she could combine her work as a rider and a therapist to bring some pleasure into the lives of children from impoverished backgrounds.
In November last year she began teaching about 30 street children between the ages of eight and 18 to ride.
The children are all from Grahamstown’s Eluxolweni Shelter, and come from poor backgrounds and are often burdened with a history of neglect and abuse.
The shelter is renowned for providing such children with a home, education and various programmes to help them deal with an uncertain future.
Nish says she firmly believes that horse riding is therapeutic and educational. “It gives the kids an opportunity to do something they would normally not be able to engage in and they do so in a supportive environment.”
They learn the responsibility that comes with horse riding and quickly realise that it takes hard work to succeed.
She backs this up by conducting what she calls a lifestyle group work with the older boys. “What they learn in riding they can carry into other areas of their life and succeed there too.”
It was also immensely rewarding for her and she says she has developed a great deal of affection for the children. Assegai Sports Stud owners Kerry Longhurst and Neil Currie had been supportive and provided the horses, the space and a caring environment necessary for the training, she said.
Four of the older boys Sibusiso Tyuphu (15) Lindisipho Hendele (16) Luvuyo Valela (15) and Samkelo Maqanda (17) recently competed in their first show at the Grahamstown Riding Club.
All four won certificates for completing clear rounds in the show jumping and also won several places in the showing arena.
Nish is determined that the older boys will be given the opportunity to regularly compete in shows. “They are development riders and the Grahamstown Riding Club does not charge us entry fees.
We have also had generous donations of jodhpurs and jackets but could do with more if there is anyone out there willing to provide some.”
The boys love the sport and say it was wonderful to compete. “I wish I could do it all over again,” says Sibusiso.
In an essay written after the show, Samkelo said he had loved the experience and the show had made him very proud of himself. “I didn’t know I could ride horses like that.
I really liked it and I won a certificate.”Nish says many of the children were “hard working and switched on” and had bright futures ahead of them despite their tough start in life.
Exoloweni Shelter director David Claassen said most of the kids had been “driven to the streets” by poverty and abuse.
“Programmes such as this takes their minds off where they came from and gives them the opportunity to feel they are also human beings and that people think about them, care for them and see their potential as citizens of Grahamstown."
He says the interaction with horses also seemed to be very therapeutic for the children.“It is proving so valuable in their lives. They need stuff like this.”
Lindisipho says it all. “Riding horses makes me feel so free. It has shown me a lot of things and I’m glad.”
