The Magic of Feeling Herd

Our clients, Shirley and Sandra*, went on an amazing trip to Feeling Herd, a stunning horse farm in Crystal Creek, New South Wales. This farm is known for its Equine Therapy sessions, where spending time with gentle horses enables people feel happy and calm. Studies have found that equine therapy has both healing and calming effects which benefit people’s physical and mental health. Set in a relaxed environment, people can feel more comfortable using and developing their social skills and improving their wellbeing. Our Support Workers often take clients on day visits here as part of our Assistance with Daily Life service and the memories made during adventures like these are truly wonderful. Shirley and Sandra’s recent experience is a perfect example.

Shirley, Sandra and their Support Workers, Karen and Jasmine, visited on a bright and sunny Friday afternoon. Everyone felt a bit nervous as they stepped out of the car, the horses included, but once they reached the elevated pavilion by the sparkling dam they began to relax. This is quite common with equine therapy, because horses mirror human emotions. A calm person finds a calm horse, fostering a bond, while a nervous person causes the horse to step away. This mirroring helps participants regulate their emotions over time. Especially those with extreme anxiety and other psychosocial disabilities.

With the friendly staff guiding them, Shirley and Sandra were introduced to the horses. The horses approached them gently and everyone burst into laughter when one horse playfully tried to nibble on Shirley’s toe. The laughter made everyone feel even more relaxed.

Sandra quickly fell in love with Jack, the biggest and oldest horse. Jack was calm and gentle and Sandra felt a special bond with him. When asked which horse was her favourite, Shirley exclaimed, “I love them all!” She couldn’t pick just one favourite. She let one horse after another come up to her seat, smiling brightly and patting them. Shirley’s smile never left her face. She was so happy and it was clear how special this kind of experience was for her. Seeing her smiling from ear to ear, the guide exclaimed “that smile is what this is all about!”

The group also learned about horse dentistry, which turned out to be surprisingly interesting. They discovered how important it is to take care of horse teeth. This unexpected lesson was a big hit and got everyone talking and laughing.

Even our Support Workers had a great time. Sandra’s Support Worker, Karen, often brings clients to the farm as part of our Assistance with Daily Life service and the horses clearly loved seeing her again.

On the other hand, Shirley’s Support Worker, Jasmine, had said she “wasn’t much of a horse person” when she got out of the car, though by the end of the day, she had warmed up to the horses. Shirley has made it her mission to help Jasmine get more comfortable with the horses. She decided that Jasmine should bring her back more often so that one day, the horses would eat out of Jasmine’s hand too.

As the afternoon drew to a close, everyone excitedly talked about their favourite parts of the day and made plans for future visits. “I love how calm I feel,” said Shirley as Sandra nodded excitedly in agreement. The trip to Feeling Herd brought them so much joy and created wonderful memories. Shirley, Sandra and Jasmine  looked forward to the next visit.

The day at Feeling Herd showed how important it is to get out there and try new things. Shirley and Sandra learned that with a little bit of support, they could have amazing adventures.

*Disclaimer: The clients name has been changed to protect her identity.