What is Equine Therapy?

A different way to connect, explore and grow.
 

Equine Assisted Therapy is a therapeutic approach that incorporates horses into the counselling process.
Rather than traditional counselling taking place only in a room,
sessions can involve being outdoors and alongside horses, creating opportunities to learn,
reflect and explore in a different way.

You don't need to be an experienced horse rider, and you don't need to know anything about horses.
In fact, there is no riding involved in Equine Assisted Therapy at Equine Effect Therapy.
The focus is on connection, observation, interaction and developing awareness.
 

Horses are highly sensitive to changes in body language, emotions and behaviour.
They respond to what is happening around them without judgement,
which can provide opportunities to notice patterns in ourselves and explore how we relate to others.
 

How can it help?
 

Working alongside horses can provide a unique environment to explore things such as:

Self-awareness and emotional awareness
Confidence and self-esteem

Communication and relationships

Boundaries and trust

Managing emotions and stress

Understanding behaviours and patterns

Recognising personal strengths

Building resilience

Navigating change and life's challenges

The experience can be particularly valuable for people
who don't always find traditional talk therapy comfortable or
who connect more naturally through doing, experiencing and being outdoors.

What does a session look like?
 

There is no single way an Equine Assisted Therapy session looks.

Depending on your individual needs and goals, a session may involve walking alongside a horse,
grooming, observing horse behaviour, spending quiet time with the horses or
participating in structured activities.

Sometimes there may be lots of conversation.
Other times, the experience with the horse may provide something to reflect on afterwards.

The horse isn't there to judge, give advice or provide answers.
Instead, the horse becomes part of the therapeutic environment,
offering opportunities for you to notice, explore and develop your own understanding.