Funka till häst – erfarenheter av hästrelaterade sport- och fritidsaktiviteter bland personer med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar

Summering av slutrapport

I syfte att undersöka meningen med hästrelaterade aktiviteter i vardagslivet för med intellektuell/kognitiv funktionsnedsättning har studien genomförts vid två verksamheter, i studien kallade Lilla Gården och Stora Ridcentret. Data har samlats genom etnografiskt fältarbete med deltagande observationer, semistrukturerade intervjuer, videoinspelningar samt metoden Photo Voice. Fältanteckningar och transkriberingar har analyserats kvalitativt och interaktionsanalyser har genomförts av videomaterial. Vid analyserna har symbolisk interaktionism, dramaturgiskt perspektiv samt positioneringsteori använts. Slutsatser från studien är att hästrelaterade aktiviteter har potential att öka upplevelsen av deltagande och inklusion for målgruppen, men att enbart närvaron av hästar inte är nog för att uppnå detta. Den sociala miljön är avgörande och det krävs medveten personal med kunskaper om hur en stöttande social miljö för deltagarna skapas.

Sammanfattning av ansökan

Fokus för studien ligger på betydelsen av hästrelaterade sport- och fritidsaktiviteter för personer (barn, ungdomar och vuxna) med intellektuella funktionsnedsättningar (IF). När det gäller hästrelaterade aktiviteter riktade till personer med funktionsnedsättning så är gruppen personer med IF störst. Genom att kombinera metoder och teorier från funktionshinderforskning, interaktionsforskning och etnografi undersöker studien också hur ledare/instruktörer, assistenter/medhjälpare och hästar upplever arbetet med och för personer med IF i dessa aktiviteter. Vi är även intresserade deltagandets betydelse i livet i vidare mening för personer med IF. Delaktighet, självbestämmande och inklusion är begrepp som ligger till grund för studien, som öppnar upp ett tidigare närmast outforskat fält. Resultaten kan därmed bidra till hästnäringens utbildning och arbete inom området och därmed till en mer uthållig ekonomi hos dem som erbjuder tjänster till personer med IF.

Populärvetenskaplig redovisning

For many persons with intellectual/cognitive disabilities horses are an important part of their lives – as leisure or sport, as therapy or intervention or in the context of daily activities, which is one of the supports entitled by the Swedish Act Concerning Support and Services for Certain Functional Impairments (LSS Act, SFS 1993:387). In this study we use the umbrella term horse related activities to capture both activities with physical contact with horses, such as riding and grooming, and activities related to their everyday sustenance such as mucking out stables, providing food and water and other more general farm work.

The aim of this study is to investigate the meaning of horse related activities in the lives of persons (children, young and adults) with intellectual/cognitive disabilities. We are foremost interested in the horse related activity per se, and we aim to describe, analyse and problematise the complex interactions between the participants, including horses, involved in the activities, but we also have an interest in the wider meaning of participating in horse related activities in the lives of persons with ID. Participation, self-determination and inclusion are concepts guiding the inquiry.

Based on this aim, the following three research questions have been defined:

1. How do the participants (persons with intellectual/cognitive disabilities, instructors, aides and horses) perceive the horse related activities in which they engage?

2. How is self-determination expressed, perceived and negotiated between the participants in the activities?

3. How can horse related activities, in which persons with intellectual/cognitive disabilities engage, be described, categorised and problematised in terms of participation, self-determination and inclusion?

To better understand the meaning of horse related activities we selected two establishments, which we call Little Farm and Big Riding Centre. Both these establishments offer daily activities according to LSS to the target group and riding sessions. Apart from these similarities they differ very much from each other, in size as well as in other aspects. In the study we have worked with an ethnographic approach with participating observations as well as semi-structured interviews and video recordings. Additionally, we have used the specific method of Photo Voice to “give voice” to the participants with intellectual/cognitive disabilities to lift forward their experiences of the meaning of the studied activities. We analysed the data with qualitative methodology. Theoretical perspectives used to support the analyses are symbolic interactionism, dramaturgical perspective and positioning theory.

From the results of the study, we recognise that horse related activities have potential for enhancing participation and inclusion for persons with intellectual and/or cognitive disabilities. We also recognise that horses play an important role in making daily activities, in accordance with the LSS legislation (SFS 1993:387) offered at the establishments, meaningful. Activities which are related to the care of the horse function as imperatives for action and engagement since the horse need human care to survive and thrive. This means that the work is valued, and the individual participant’s contribution is important – and considered making a ‘real difference’. In all the different forms we studied horse related activities they seem to be much appreciated by the participants in the study and have intrinsic value for the individuals. But we also wish to emphasise that the horses per se, is not enough to make horse related activities an inclusive practice. To be able to offer inclusive horse related activities to persons with intellectual/cognitive disabilities the social environment is crucial. Conscious staff, with knowledge on how to create a supportive social environment for the participants, are of utmost importance.