Equine therapy helps four-year-old Fiadh with Down syndrome take major developmental steps

Equine therapy at the new Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre is strengthening Fiadh’s mobility, confidence and communication as she works toward her first steps

A delighted Fiadh Brennan on board Romeo at the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre. Family and friends of the 13-year-old jockey who died at Glenbeigh Races in Kerry funded the new centre.  Picture: Moya Nolan

Evelyn Brennan is understandably excited at the possibility of watching her four-year-old daughter Fiadh take her first steps.

Having undergone open-heart surgery at just nine months old, Fiadh has yet to reach the same milestones as so many of her peers with Down syndrome.

But Fiadh’s love of horses means that equine therapy is delivering huge benefits.

The little girl from North Co Dublin has already made huge strides in terms of communication, and now mum Evelyn hopes that equine therapy sessions with Childvision — a national service for kids with sight loss and additional needs — will help Fiadh to take her first steps.

 

Henry and Heather de Bromhead and their daughters Mia and Georgia at the opening of the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre on Childvision's campus. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall

“She currently speaks using a device with two pictures that lets her tell us what she wants and we are working on her communication. 

"We’re obviously trying to get her first steps and build the strength for Fiadh to be able to walk. The equine therapy is helping with both of those things,” Evelyn said.

Molly and Millie Fitzpatrick, both 6, and Lottie de Bromhead, 4, meeting one of the stars of the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall

And now, the family has even more reason to celebrate after the official opening of the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre located on the charity’s campus in Drumcondra. 

It means that Fiadh can enjoy her sessions whatever the weather brings.

Centre named for Jack de Bromhead

The 1,375sq m centre was funded by the family and friends of Jack de Bromhead — the 13-year-old jockey who tragically lost his life in an accident at Glenbeigh Races in Co Kerry in 2022.

Teenage jockey Jack de Bromhead in Tramore in 2022, the year he lost his life in a tragic accident at Glenbeigh Races. The centre in Drumcondra is named in his memory. Picture: Healy Racing

The campaign to honour Jack and build a facility in his memory was spearheaded by racehorse owner Chris Jones.

Jack’s father, trainer Henry de Bromhead, his mother Heather, and sisters Georgia and Mia, all attended the official opening of the facility at the Childvision campus recently where they met with those behind — and benefitting from — the project.

Fiadh’s mum extended her gratitude to Childvision and the de Bromhead family.

“Fiadh started horse riding in 2024. 

"We always went — rain, hail, or shine — but now that we have the centre we don’t have to worry about the conditions anymore.”

Fiadh Brennan’s mother Evelyn says sessions at Childvision’s Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre are helping the four-year-old — who has Down syndrome and had open-heart surgery as an infant — build confidence, communication skills, and core strength. Picture: Leon Farrell/Photocall  

Evelyn described how interacting with the horses, Fred, Cody, Ben and Romeo, has improved her daughter’s ability to communicate.

“I’ve noticed a difference in her words just from doing the horse riding. 

"She’s not really speaking and is mostly babbling at the moment but she seems to come out with the words after equine therapy,” explained Evelyn.

“When she’s motivated and wants to express herself, it happens. 

She is very definite about telling the horse to go and will tap him to indicate the direction she needs to go in.

“A lot of children benefit from equine therapy to help their regulation but this doesn’t really apply to Fiadh as she’s such a happy child. 

"She didn’t need it for that but it has really helped her core strength. 

"We’re seeing a big difference here in addition to the communication. She sits up and holds on tight which is amazing to see.

Being indoors, Childvision's 1,375sq m Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre offers parents some certainty that sessions will go ahead whatever the weather. Picture: Childvision

The sessions, which Fiadh attends once a week, have had a profound impact on the four-year-old, says her mother.

“It has also built her confidence and trust in people. At the start she would be passive enough when she went into the yard but more recently she started crying when she went in.

“My first thought was ‘oh my goodness, what’s wrong?’ However, the minute she saw Rachel or Lucy from the equine centre her arms were up for them to take her. 

Evelyn Brennan with her daughter Fiadh, 4, and son Conall, 3, with equine unit manager Lucy Dillon at Fiadh's weekly session at the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre. Picture: Moya Nolan

"We realised then that she wasn’t crying because she was sad. This was just her way of communicating how impatient she was to get going.”

The de Bromhead family, who attended the opening of the centre in September, three years after Jack’s death, praised the work the centre does and said it would be place filled with “laughter and joy”.

Jockey Rachael Blackmore and unit manager Lucy Dillon at the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre. Ireland's horse racing community got behind the fundraising effort for the new centre spearheaded by Chris Jones and Jack's heartbroken family. Picture: Leon Farrell / Photocall

“The equine centre at Childvision is a wonderful legacy for our beloved Jack, a hugely missed son and brother.

“Horses are a huge part of our lives, and we know the physical experience of riding a horse offers so many potential benefits, especially helping address a host of physical, social and emotional issues.

“More so, the Jack de Bromhead Equine Centre will be a place of learning and hope, full of laughter and joy, traits that were such a part of Jack, all facilitated by the much-treasured horses and ponies that call the Childvision stables home.”