This profile was created by Anthony Lane at www.lastangel.org.uk
Providing equine assisted therapy has always been an important part of LAED's aims, but up until now, we have been concentrating on rehoming unwanted horses and ponies. we will still continue to do that of course, but we are now putting as much effort into equine assisted therapy.
Although we intend to offer this to anyone who would benefit from this therapy, it is primarily intended for sufferers of eating disorders; In my experience and through watching other people with horses, it's very clear to see the beneficial effects of relationships with horses. The one on one communication between horse and human can give such a wonderful sense of achievement and well-being, as well as boosting self-esteem, something so damaged in people with eating disorders. Interaction with horses provides a strong sense of purpose. The unique bonding relationship between human and horse is based on trust and communication
The Trust Project is in early stages, but I am planning on offering Equine Assisted therapy in two ways:
The first will only be available to people living around the south somerset area of the UK, as this is where I am based.
I am planning on inviting anyone who would like to spend time with our ponies visiting the stables where they are kept, and being involved as much or as little as they like ie being involved in their day to day care, working with them through lungeing, exercising or riding (although they would need supervision and some experience for this) For those with no experience, much can still be gained through just being around the ponies.
This could be done either daily, weekly or whenever it suits (depending on where the person lives in relation to the ponies) I am also researching correspondence courses which could be taken in conjunction with the hands on time with the ponies. These are very likely to be natural horsemanship courses since I am a firm believer in the methods of natural horsemanship, which also concentrates on the relationship between horse and human.
The second way wouldn't be so dependent on people needing to live near the ponies, but I need to have a collaboration with a riding centre....I am thinking along the lines of organising either residential courses for sufferers of eating disorders, or weekly daily visits to include horse care and management and riding for those who would like to ride. This would obviously, again, need to be supervised by professionals in horsemanship and therapeutic practices.
I have many contacts in the horse world, but would need a group of professionals trained in helping people with eating disorders that I could approach to be on hand for these therapeutic courses/visits.
Our website address: Last Angel Equine Defence:
http://www.lastangel.org.uk
We are also on Myspace here: http://www.myspace.com/lastangelsanctuary
