equine

Stability | Building skills through equine therapy

November 2022

We’re working with The Heart Centre to offer a specialist equine-assisted learning programme for displaced young people in Surrey.

We’ve seen first-hand, through our previous programmes, the positive impact that working with horses has on the young people and thanks to funding from the Community Foundation for Surrey, we’re delighted to be able to continue this programme into 2023.

Our Stability programme gives young people the chance to spend time with horses – developing skills in communication, coaching, horsemanship and English language. Horses can play a significant role in mental wellbeing and at the heart of this programme is a therapeutic focus on self-esteem and coping mechanisms for responding to trauma and distress.

Over the six sessions, participants learn to develop relationships with their horses, through activities like grooming, mucking out and learning how to communicate instructions and understand the horse’s response. The focus then moves to trust and undertaking challenges with their partners (horse and human) where trust is essential, including moving around an obstacle course blindfolded and trekking around the beautiful local bridle paths.

“They loved the equine programme… I have noticed a big change in their emotional wellbeing, they appear more content, are sleeping better, feeling less anxious and looking forward to their future. It’s wonderful.”
Tracy, Key worker

“It was my best days. The horses were my friends and they understand my language.”
Stability participant.

Stability runs in six-week blocks during term time until summer 2023. For more information about the programme or to refer a young person, please email contact@bigleaffoundation.org.uk