Petition for "Australian Story" to feature the work of Bernie Keogh | Community organisation

Petition for "Australian Story" to feature the work of Bernie Keogh

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25.01.2022 and more from Bern... On one particular lesson this weekend that taught me a LOT: Brilliant. Self-directed. It's taught me to loosen the reins. With the horse... we can request the overall direction and speed of travel. But the minutiae of..where to place his feet, what to be aware of, how to get relief of muscular systems and mental stress..these are in the horses immediate domain, but it is our job to ensure these things can happen, without restriction. to assist and co-ope...rate in meeting the horses needs. As a teacher... in a sense I dominate the teaching. This is normal in the sense of equestrian instruction...and in life for regular students. Some instructors are VERY strict in their approach... but I think this may also reflect a certain insecurity. We tend to stick with what works, or we follow that rigid curriculum. But the horse knows far better than us about how to be a horse. In the same sense.. I am becoming far more aware now that ASD kids know far better than we do about how "being" as such is for that ASD student. The self direction is important and I believe these kids innately know what they need, even if they may not be able to express those needs. So...it becomes far more important for us to listen, and enable... rather than direct. Once again... it sometimes seems to be a bit counter-intuitive... but more and more I see that listening and interpreting needs is a far more effective process than directing with tight control. Loosen the reins is about the closest description I can use, for both student and horse. (Ha... my own EAL... the kids are not the only students here.)" So...when I'm on a snorty horse and he's acting up...I need to counter-intuitively relax my body and enable calm. I need to do the same thing as an instructor. And this is why EAL practitioners are called equine facilitators, rather than instructors. As a human, I know nothing about being a horse. As a neuro-typical... I know nothing about "being" ASD. See more

24.01.2022 Hi all.... Grant has asked me to write some news from the riding school, and I've been a bit tardy in response so here goes: I must say first that we've been pretty busy with our young students lately, and I was hit by illness and a broken tooth, we had a sick horse for a while (still not quite resolved), and the drought finally made it's awful way to Eden Valley and put pressures on that I'm still juggling. But we haven't stopped, and several students have made some great ...Continue reading

24.01.2022 Another aspect of equine therapy that we might see Bernie getting into with time.

21.01.2022 Here are a few clips of Bernie in action with one of his very successful students, Yaz. Yaz has made some wonderful advances and has developed into a very confident and strong individual showing what Bernie describes as outstanding skills as a horsewoman.

20.01.2022 Hi all - this story has so many links to the work that Bernie is doing that I have contacted the reporter to see if she can follow it up. Let's hope we can get some interest from ABC in SA!!!!

20.01.2022 Just a few more pics of Bern with one of his young protégés. Bernie's work proves that children with issues can participate in a range of activities designed to provide an outlet for hidden or buried talents...

19.01.2022 Great story....geez I wish we could get the local media interested in telling the story of what Bernie is doing at Eden Valley. If anyone has any media contacts please feel free to let them know that there's a local story out there begging to be told.

14.01.2022 Here are some more pics of Bern and his charges taken over the last month or so. Any help that you can provide to Bern to help him to continue this wonderful work that he does would I'm sure be greatly appreciated.

14.01.2022 Trying to move ahead with promoting the work that Bernie is doing at the riding school. Please provide some feedback about how the work that Bernie does for you or your family members has affected your lives - it would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to provide some comments to highlight just how valuable this work is that Bernie is doing.

13.01.2022 Here's some more info from Bern about another of this students. She is diagnosed ASC... home schooled and was, amongst other things, selectively mute when she started. Apart from having grown 10cm since she started about 18 months ago...the areas that we concentrate on and worked on with her via the horse program are as follows: - Assertiveness: Many of these kids are bullied and go into a deep recession to avoid the bullying. Some go quiet, some hold it in until they explod...e. This young lady was in the former bracket. By dealing with some of the more tricky horses she has learned some of her own strengths and been able to employ those in dealing with an ADHD brother. - Focus and Perseverance: Many will jump from attraction to attraction. The light homework keeps her focused through the week.. and the practice with the horses gets results so that experience can be taken to the "outside" world. She builds on each small success. - Taking responsibilty: The most often-used, and almost only rule here is that "the horse is never wrong." This teaches kids to look for reasons for mistakes, improve clarity in communication, use the right tools at the right time. - Relating to others/empathy: Understanding the horse body language and utilising some anthropomorphisms allows a child to understand that horses communicate their own feelings and needs differently.. just like people only finer and more subtle. By "reading" the horse they can transfer this skill across to daily life. - Calmness... we use breathing techniques and exercises that allow the child to summon calm. The effects on the horse are immediate.. and so they can see how calmness can be transmitted directly to the horse. Again... a transferable skill. - Realistic analysis and planning: Simple....to move a horse from A to B requires that they prepare B first. So they learn to look ahead for obstacles to progress, and tools needed for success at any particular job. - Communication and language: The successful outcome of a particular exercise involves...light quiet hands, legs and seat. AND voice commands. I also get them to sing...any song. So all 4/5 aids to communication have to be used at once for the most effective response from the horse. One trick I do with this is to ask them their name. And say it...louder please I can't hear you! Engagement: Quite a few come in and might be a bit overwhelmed and not want to ride. So...I break it all down into small steps... first.. intro yourself to the horse, politely. Then we might stroke or touch.. then..brush..... all the way up to putting on saddle and bridle. Then it becomes a very small step to actually get on. Next...they want to ride and it's hard to get them off! Ok.... so that was very precis'd. I also assess at beginning and end of each session. In my head at the moment but I'm working towards a more formal assessment that we can hand to a psychologist if that's requested. See more

12.01.2022 Here’s an interview that Bernie did with Margaret Williams on BBB Radio Barossa this week. It gives some great insights into Bern as an individual and how he was lead into the work that he now does. A little light musical entertainment for the first 8:30 minutes or so....worth the wait

10.01.2022 HERE ARE SOME NEW PICS OF BERN AND THE KIDS STARTING OFF FOR 2019 (including a rare shot of Bernie actually riding, for once). As you'll see in one of the pics, conditions are getting pretty tough at the riding school due to the drought. If anyone has any ideas on how to get Bern's work promoted in the local media in SA please let us know.

09.01.2022 In Bernie's own words....."We're re-writing the book on ASD and horses, or maybe even the first book on the subject.. It's like I have stumbled upon a treasure that is much needed and one that I'd like to share. But the work is slowed and might be de-railed entirely by the sheer need to survive. E.g: I'll probably need to drive g-damn trucks again soon to pay the rent and keep us going. But I can't teach and drive at the same time." And that's why we're chasing supporters and running a Go-fund-me, and it's why two great friends have kicked off the Australian Story campaign. Thats the stuff I'm not good at, self promotion is not what this is about..... I need to be out there with the horses and the kids and I just wish I could be left to get on with it. Yah! ""

06.01.2022 If you are to able to help replacing one of the horses that has worked so hard to assist the riders at the school but has now had to be retired, it would be greatly appreciated. Any donation will make a difference. At Eden Valley in the Barossa Region of South Australia there is a small riding school where more than a bit of magic happens. Horseman and owner of Eden Valley Riding School, Bernie Keogh , teaches disabled children about horsemanship, how to ride and so much more.... Bernie is such a gentle, encouraging teacher. My daughter is becoming a great rider and is learning life lessons as well. Gentleness, stillness and calm. How to overcome her anxiety and related fears, not just with riding challenges but life challenges as well, says one student’s mother. There is significant evidence that Equine Assisted Learning is highly beneficial to children with autism. It helps them develop natural, core skills that they need to function in society. Therapeutic horseback riding also addresses a variety of mental-health issues - horse therapy can help them relax and feel more comfortable as they build trusting bond. Bernie has helped children with anxiety find new courage, a non verbal autistic child find her first words and those with low confidence find a pride in themselves as they learn to ride. ‘Bernie is an amazing person who has worked with my daughter who has high functioning Autism for over a year. No matter how much my daughter's fears try and stop her when she's riding Bernie’s gentle encouragement get her back on task. This is a girl who hardly spoke to anyone outside her family before and now has a new sense of confidence. said Carla, another grateful parent. Asking for help does not come easy though to this humble cowboy, so we are doing it for him. He can only stable 6 horses at any given time and Ted, his 26 year old Appaloosa pony is blind in one eye and deaf in the other ear and no longer able to be ridden. Bernie has found him a home where he can see his days with the love (and carrots) he deserves. However, to keep doing what he does and to expand the number of students that Bernie is able to help, Ted needs to be replaced with a highly trained school horse with the correct disposition to work with students with disabilities. Please help us this July to help fund a new school horse for the Eden Valley Riding School. Everyone who kindly donates will be entered into a draw to name the new horse! All donations will enable Bernie to continue to provide equine therapy and make a lasting difference in the lives of these children and their families. For further information about Equine Therapy at Eden Valley Riding School contact Bernie Keogh at https://www.facebook.com/edenvalleyridingschool/

02.01.2022 We've had some progress lately with Bernie being interviewed on Barossa Radio, but still no sign of ABC wanting to do a TV episode yet. As the future of the school depends on having horses for the kids to work with PLEASE see if you can make donation of any type to the gofundme page that has been set up for the school with intent to buy a new horse to replace the older one/s. So far only $1,710 of the needed $5,000 has been donated. PLEASE SHARE SO THAT THE WORD GETS OUT THAT THIS WORTHY CAUSE NEEDS SOME HELP. https://www.gofundme.com/f/new-horse-for-eden-valley-riding