Home |

Review Guidelines |

Signup FREE |

Submit Articles

Home | Travel & Leisure | Travel

Free Articles on Travel and many other topics.
Another Free Travel article for you.

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Travel Articles Via RSS!

Cape Town Accommodation and Activities – a horse of a Different Colour

By: Roberto Garabelli

The cultural hub of South Africa’s Western Province, Cape Town offers the visitor an increasingly broad variety of sensational accommodation and activity choices. Sightseeing, safaris, ethnic experiences and much, much more await the keen traveller in the Mother City.

Those who enjoy outdoor activities are in for a treat – Cape Town is situated in the midst of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a habitat so rare that it has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in order to better protect it. A beautifully fragile ecosystem consisting mainly of Fynbos, a type of flora peculiar to this region, it has been identified as one of the planet’s 18 biodiversity hotspots.

A range of Cape Town tours and outdoor activity providers operate from this beautiful setting and in recent years, horse riding has become an especially favoured pastime of both locals and visitors alike. There is nothing like a gentle stroll along the beach or a brisk cross-country outride to do away with the stress and cobwebs of daily life. Horse riding has been proven to have a host of health benefits that range from cardiovascular fitness to muscle conditioning and improved balance. Add to this the simple pleasure of having the wind in your hair and the majestic feeling of establishing a connection with an animal much larger than yourself and you get an outdoor pursuit that is as healthy as it is fun.

Horse riding is also recognised as having outstanding therapeutic qualities. There are references to the benefits of therapeutic riding as far back as 600 BC, when Socrates wrote of the "riding's healing rhythm" for both mental and physical improvement. Horses were also used in the rehabilitation of wounded soldiers after World War II. Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Hippotherapy are two branches of psycho-physical treatment that make use of horse riding as part of rehabilitation regimens. Both are guided by a medical model but differ slightly in the way they are implemented.

In Equine Assisted Psychotherapy a certified medical professional uses the unique qualities of horseback riding in various ways for therapeutic benefit; whereas Hippotherapy (a name derived from the Greek word for horse, ‘hippo’) involves a certified therapist using the horse itself, as well as the relationship between the patient and the animal, as a therapeutic tool. In both instances patients afflicted by conditions as diverse as Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down syndrome and Multiple Sclerosis stand to benefit from riding therapy in a number of ways.

The most easily recognizable benefits are physical. A very physical activity, horse riding can improve balance, joint movement and muscle tones in children and adults with physical disabilities and special needs. Furthermore, the complex nature of the sport and the multi-sensory tasks it involves provide cognitive and mental stimulation. On an emotional level, bonding with an animal is beneficial for people with social and psychological disabilities. Riding indicates a direct connection between action and reaction and can go a long way in explaining the concept of cause and effect. Effective communication, trust and loyalty are further positive lessons to be learnt in the process of riding.

No matter which way you choose to look at it, horse riding is a very healthy leisure pursuit. So next time you visit Cape Town and are looking for things to do, why not arrange for a nice outing with an establishment that facilitates riding lessons and activities? You only stand to benefit and you’ll get to experience the Mother City from a whole different angle.

Article Source: http://add-articles.com

Izak has been considering www.bookcapetown.com/">safaris and came across some interesting www.bookcapetown.com/">Cape Town Tour websites.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Additional Articles From - Home | Travel & Leisure | Travel

Add-Articles.com
Recommend

Featured Websites:
Phuket Island Properties
ArticleWealth.com Directory
ArticleFame.com Directory
Directory Articles.com

Members Area:
Submit Articles
Members Login
Article Promotion Benefits

First Visit?
For a FREE Account
Please Join Here
Learn More Here.

Hide My IP!

Webmaster/Ezine Tools:
Top Authors
Most Popular Articles
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
New Stuff
About Us
Site Blog
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service
Article Directory List

Vote For Add-Articles.com - Article Directory
at Top Article Directory List
Top Sites

Article Dashboard University (ADU)

www.Add-Articles.com Copyright © 2005 - 2008 Article Directory

PageRank - Directory - Web Host

Resources | Terms of Service | Submission Guidelines | Contact Us | Link to Us| Privacy Policy | About Us