Eleven-year-old Olivia has been a pupil at Chailey Heritage School for the past year. Olivia is an inquisitive and determined young girl who approaches new experiences with curiosity and enthusiasm. Like all our pupils, she follows our unique curriculum, the Chailey Heritage Individual Learner Driven (CHILD) Curriculum, with personalised "Next Steps" targets tailored to her individual goals. One of Olivia's key targets was increasing her engagement with the people and environments around her.When Olivia joined the school, unfamiliar routines and new experiences often made her anxious, and she preferred to stay indoors with her iPad. The hippotherapy team recognised an opportunity to introduce her to a different kind of multi-sensory experience, beginning her journey with Solly, a beautiful and gentle gelding pony.From her very first session, Olivia appeared calm and relaxed on Solly. As the weeks passed, she began recognising the riding team, greeting them with a smile when she heard them in the classroom or riding area. Her confidence has continued to grow, helping her engage more with the people and activities around her and make excellent progress towards her personalised target.Reflecting on Olivia's journey, her father says: "Olivia loves hippotherapy. It has aided her to have better balance, co-ordination and helps with her concentration. Olivia had never ridden a horse before attending Chailey Heritage, and now it is the highlight of her week!" The benefits extend beyond physical development. Nikki Montoya, one of Olivia's hippotherapists, has seen growing confidence in every session: "She enjoys it when we ask the pony to go slightly faster as this gives a lot more movement through her body, and it can even encourage her to vocalise, which is lovely." That progress is reflected back in the classroom too. Olivia's class teacher, Jo Bell, explains: "Since starting hippotherapy, Olivia has made remarkable progress in her confidence and independence. She is communicating more effectively using her voice, expressions and interactions, while building relationships, regulating emotions and experiencing a strong sense of achievement and happiness." Hippotherapy at Chailey Heritage Foundation is funded entirely through donations. Every gift helps us continue providing life-changing opportunities for children and young people like Olivia, enabling them to build confidence, develop new skills and achieve their full potential.