Santa María Polo Club each year donates the funds raised in the final of the Gold Cup to a very special foundation: The Santa María Equine Therapy Centre (Centro de Hipoterapia Santa María).
Founded in 2008, this foundation has the aim of assisting, fomenting the integration and the development of children and youngsters through the values related to the practice of sports, specifically equestrian.
Besides its courses and activities related with horse riding and equine-related jobs, the foundation started in 2009 to develop its own Santa María Equine Therapy Centre. Equine therapy consists in implementing horse riding and equine related activities, in order to stimulate the physical, psychical, sensitive, emotional and occupational development of physically or mentally handicapped individuals. At the Centre, they use the equine stimulation to perform exercises or activities that will contribute to ease the effects of the different disabilities. The horse, in this kind of therapy, is the integrating, rehabilitating, educational and socializing element that helps the educators in this technique.
With the aim of getting to the hearts of our society the values of solidarity, helping people in need and integration, the Foundation manages the Solidary Equine Centre (Centro Hípico Solidario). Situated in the Urbanización San Roque Club, one can find a conventional equine centre integrated with the Equine Therapy Centre where activities such as equine therapy, adapted horsemanship, therapeutical horsemanship, occupational therapy, seminars and courses, and integration camps, among others.
More information at: www.fundacionsantamariapolo.org
