have seen horses soothe even the most troubled of souls, with cognitive and neurological issues, to be able to be completely still for the first time in years. I have seen the smile of many from receiving the unconditional love a horse can provide, the comfort and nurturing that is so often needed but that we sometimes can’t see ourselves. The horses can feel it.
Using a range of culturally secure approaches, we have been able to determine the extent to which equine assisted learning can address outcomes.Their medicine is not always obvious at first, and part of the work we do is to provide such opportunities for our young people to tune into these experiences. Sessions normally last about an hour. We offer a variety of activities as we take our young people on a journey with the guidance and feedback from the horses.
Perhaps we are looking at mental health without the holistic lens that it requires. We know full well that you can tell a person that they are important, they are valuable, they are loved, for example; but if they do not feel it – if it is not truly what they think themselves – then it is often short-lived and does not become who they are for long.