When Latifa Momenah saw children go from wheelchairs to riding and walking, she knew she had to train as a therapeutic horse-riding instructor.
"I just knew this is what I had to do," she says. “I knew I had to learn and have to keep this going for my community."
In March 2021, Latifa opened Wesal AlKhair, the Horse Connection, in Jeddah, a ranch where people with physical and mental disabilities can ride.
“The best part about what we do is the feedback we receive from mothers who say they couldn't have imagined their child would walk again, which was a dream come true and that this has helped them back up on their feet," she says.
Horse riding has long been used for therapy and rehabilitation as it can help with a number of behavioural and physical issues. Riding can help improve balance, muscle control, motor development and co-ordination as well as balance and posture.
But opening Wesal AlKhair was a long road for Latifa. She first found out about therapeutic riding in 2009 and volunteered with a similar programme in Jeddah while at university.
After, Latifa went on to specialise in therapeutic horse riding in the US through an intensive two-month course in 2012 before going to do her master's in finance in Ireland. When she returned to Saudi Arabia in 2017, she found out that the programme she had volunteered with while at university had shut down. That's when she decided to launch Wesal AlKhair.
"I've been working on the process for five years with all the challenges including logistics, finding the horses, Covid-19, government regulations and finance, but we managed," she says. She now employs seven trainers and they have eight horses.
"In June 2021, I trained seven people within my house and shared my knowledge, all that I learnt in the US, with my entire team to give them the tools needed to help and serve more riders as much as possible."
She said for her, it's not about being the first Saudi therapeutic horse-riding instructor, it's about being able to "make a difference and spread the knowledge" to benefit others.
"Our aim is to be Saudi's certified leading international therapeutic riding programme in the region and to serve many more riders."
She said therapeutic riding helps the cognitive, physical, emotional and social well-being of people with special needs.
"We take them in and assess and train them, individually to help them not just physically but also mentally and emotionally. Each person is looking for something different, so we cater to that," she says.
In total there are eight horses at Wesal AlKhair, "all in training to ride with handicapped children but currently, three are ready".
Latifa says the ranch uses retired horses or those over 15 years of age.
"It was tough getting the horses," she admits, adding that she went "door to door in Riyadh and in Jeddah" to look for retired horses or older ones that "aren't too hyper" for kids with special needs.
"We have around 30 people enrolled, and sometimes if someone's brother wants to ride a horse, we allow that because we don't want them to feel like there's a difference ― and for all of them to feel the same.
"We accept all disabilities. It helps motivate them and give them self-confidence as well."
The team at Wesal AlKhair assesses all new riders, their personality, behaviour, mental status and ability.
Latifa says horses "move a lot like humans and so the activity helps move muscles and our body" that aids physical movement for those who cannot walk, which "sends a message to the brain that this muscle is working and over a period of time, it helps the core muscles and balance".
She says the horses go through extensive training to ensure the safety of all participants.
"Kids even play basketball while horse-riding. We spent a year training them," she says.
While some focus on general equine knowledge, horse behaviour, communication and social skills, the ranch also offers hippotherapy which is a physical, occupational and speech therapy that uses the natural gait and movement of a horse to provide motor and sensory input.
Hippotherapy is based on the improvement of "neurologic functions, and sensory processes", mainly used for people with physical and mental disorders.
Latifa trains riders at her academy every weekend and each rider has three volunteers dedicated to them — two side walkers and a leader.
"We give people a chance to volunteer and give back to our community."
match info
Union Berlin 0
Bayern Munich 1 (Lewandowski 40' pen, Pavard 80')
Man of the Match: Benjamin Pavard (Bayern Munich)
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
What to watch out for:
Algae, waste coffee grounds and orange peels will be used in the pavilion's walls and gangways
The hulls of three ships will be used for the roof
The hulls will painted to make the largest Italian tricolour in the country’s history
Several pillars more than 20 metres high will support the structure
Roughly 15 tonnes of steel will be used
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Dunbar
Edward St Aubyn
Hogarth
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Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
info-box
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: Happy Tenant
Started: January 2019
Co-founders: Joe Moufarrej and Umar Rana
Based: Dubai
Sector: Technology, real-estate
Initial investment: Dh2.5 million
Investors: Self-funded
Total customers: 4,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULTS
Manchester United 2
Anthony Martial 30'
Scott McTominay 90 6'
Manchester City 0
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre supercharged V8
Power: 712hp at 6,100rpm
Torque: 881Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 19.6 l/100km
Price: Dh380,000
On sale: now
Citizenship-by-investment programmes
United Kingdom
The UK offers three programmes for residency. The UK Overseas Business Representative Visa lets you open an overseas branch office of your existing company in the country at no extra investment. For the UK Tier 1 Innovator Visa, you are required to invest £50,000 (Dh238,000) into a business. You can also get a UK Tier 1 Investor Visa if you invest £2 million, £5m or £10m (the higher the investment, the sooner you obtain your permanent residency).
All UK residency visas get approved in 90 to 120 days and are valid for 3 years. After 3 years, the applicant can apply for extension of another 2 years. Once they have lived in the UK for a minimum of 6 months every year, they are eligible to apply for permanent residency (called Indefinite Leave to Remain). After one year of ILR, the applicant can apply for UK passport.
The Caribbean
Depending on the country, the investment amount starts from $100,000 (Dh367,250) and can go up to $400,000 in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take between four to five months to receive a passport.
Portugal
The investment amount ranges from €350,000 to €500,000 (Dh1.5m to Dh2.16m) in real estate. From the date of purchase, it will take a maximum of six months to receive a Golden Visa. Applicants can apply for permanent residency after five years and Portuguese citizenship after six years.
“Among European countries with residency programmes, Portugal has been the most popular because it offers the most cost-effective programme to eventually acquire citizenship of the European Union without ever residing in Portugal,” states Veronica Cotdemiey of Citizenship Invest.
Greece
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Greece is €250,000, making it the cheapest real estate residency visa scheme in Europe. You can apply for residency in four months and citizenship after seven years.
Spain
The real estate investment threshold to acquire residency for Spain is €500,000. You can apply for permanent residency after five years and citizenship after 10 years. It is not necessary to live in Spain to retain and renew the residency visa permit.
Cyprus
Cyprus offers the quickest route to citizenship of a European country in only six months. An investment of €2m in real estate is required, making it the highest priced programme in Europe.
Malta
The Malta citizenship by investment programme is lengthy and investors are required to contribute sums as donations to the Maltese government. The applicant must either contribute at least €650,000 to the National Development & Social Fund. Spouses and children are required to contribute €25,000; unmarried children between 18 and 25 and dependent parents must contribute €50,000 each.
The second step is to make an investment in property of at least €350,000 or enter a property rental contract for at least €16,000 per annum for five years. The third step is to invest at least €150,000 in bonds or shares approved by the Maltese government to be kept for at least five years.
Candidates must commit to a minimum physical presence in Malta before citizenship is granted. While you get residency in two months, you can apply for citizenship after a year.
Egypt
A one-year residency permit can be bought if you purchase property in Egypt worth $100,000. A three-year residency is available for those who invest $200,000 in property, and five years for those who purchase property worth $400,000.
Source: Citizenship Invest and Aqua Properties
'Ghostbusters: From Beyond'
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace
Rating: 2/5
The years Ramadan fell in May
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
