SINGAPORE - To help vulnerable children who may have suffered trauma develop confidence and open up more, a new initiative was launched to allow them to interact with virtual horses.
At Home with Horses, a pilot programme, seeks to help 70 children and young people aged between nine and 18 at Chen Su Lan Methodist Children’s Home by using augmented reality (AR) to transport them to a stable with digitally rendered horses for animal-assisted therapy.
Such therapy involves animals to help in treatment, with the goal of improving the child’s social and emotional functioning.
The AR programme will prepare children for interactions with real horses, which they will be able to have in another programme to begin in July.
Both programmes are run by the Rotary Club of Singapore in partnership with local animal therapy charity Equal-Ark Singapore (Equal).
Attending the launch on Saturday, Minister for National Development Desmond Lee said the initiative aims to transform the lives of children and young people, including those who were abused and neglected.
He noted: “This innovative programme uses horses for emotional and psychological healing, allowing children to develop healthier coping mechanisms.”
Mr Lionel Otsuka, director of technology at the Rotary Club of Singapore, said integrating AR into equine therapy sessions offers several benefits, including increased engagement and enhanced sensory experiences for the children.
He told The Straits Times: “The AR programme overlays digital elements onto the real-world environment, creating a dynamic and engaging experience for a child during an equine-assisted session.
“It can offer visual cues and interactive activities to enhance their learning, engagement and confidence,” he added.
Ms Sandra Leong, chief executive officer of Equal, said the charity hopes to extend the programme beyond its pilot to ensure more children and youth in Singapore can experience animal-assisted therapy.
When asked how the impending closure of the Singapore Turf Club might affect Equal, Ms Leong said it is likely to get more requests in the coming years from racehorse owners who wish to donate their horses to the charity.
It was announced on June 5 that the land in Kranji occupied by the Singapore Turf Club will be returned to the Government by March 2027, bringing an end to over 180 years of horse racing in Singapore.
The closure will make way for housing and other developments in the area, including previously announced plans to redevelop the area around Woodlands Checkpoint and transform the Lim Chu Kang area into a high-tech agri-food cluster.
Equal, located in Jalan Mashhor near Thomson Road, is currently home to 10 horses, which were previously riding school, equestrian, polo and race horses, as well as six miniature horses.
Equal is a charity that offers animal-based learning to young people, seniors and those with special needs, to equip them with life skills and help them with social integration.
Ms Leong said the impending closure of the Turf Club could lead to prices of hay, bedding and horse supplements rising due to lower demand. “We are concerned this will jack up the overall costs of equine care and management, making it more challenging for our charity,” she said.
“But the closure also means Equal’s presence and services will be all the more significant if we have the space and resources to expand and bring on board more former racehorse jockeys and horses.”
