About this episode

Rupert Isaacson interviews Lucy Dillon about running an urban equine therapy program for children with visual impairments in Dublin.

In this episode of Equine Assisted World, Rupert Isaacson speaks with Lucy Dillon, who runs the equine unit at ChildVision in Drumcondra — right in the center of Dublin, Ireland. ChildVision (formerly St. Joseph’s School for the Blind) provides services for children and young people with visual impairments and complex needs. Unlike most equine‑assisted programs located in rural areas, Lucy’s program operates in the middle of a major city — serving populations who would otherwise have little or no access to horses. Lucy shares the realities of running an urban equine therapy program: balancing horse welfare with limited space, designing programs for children with visual impairment and multiple disabilities, and maintaining high standards of horsemanship within a therapeutic setting. The conversation explores Lucy’s path through traditional British horse training, riding schools, equine education, and professional qualifications before transitioning into therapeutic work. She discusses how the structure and discipline of classical horsemanship become essential foundations for safe and effective equine‑assisted programs. Together, Rupert and Lucy examine how horses support children…

People in this episode

Host: Rupert Isaacson

Guest: Lucy Dillon

Topics covered

• urban equine therapy
• children with visual impairments
• horse welfare
• therapeutic horsemanship
• sensory challenges
• neurodiversity

Keywords

• equine therapy
• urban horses
• ChildVision
• visual impairments
• horsemanship
• therapeutic programs
• Dublin
• children
• sensory challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ChildVision, St. Joseph’s School for the Blind

Places: Dublin, Drumcondra

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