Therapy Horses - First Visit

They have 6 horses - Jake, Magnolia, Tammy, Charlie, Bree and Ebony - and 2 ponies, Toffee and Pepsi. Horses are apparently very sensitive creatures due to being prey animals in the past, they pick up on your mood and emotions quickly. Making them ideal for working with ASD people, also ADHD and depression and anxiety. So the idea is controlling your mood so the horse will respond to you. Having control over a large animal like a horse will boost your confidence, and working in unison with him will help develop social skills.
I got to groom Jake today, maybe next week I'll get to lead one of the ponies round an obstacle course. Starting small! The largest horse there is Tammy, weighing in at 900kgs. I've got a lot more to find out and learn but apparently you can work up to leading a horse in reverse around the obstacle course! So theres grooming, mucking out, preparing their feed, leading, and the obstacle course, probably more as I go on. Like us, the horses can have good days and bad, and sometimes they will not respond the way you want.
I will update as now a weekly event for me, they are fully funded, the sessions are free.
Have a few photos to post, few more next week of the obstacle course etc. And they have a huge barn so all done indoors in bad weather.

Tammy with Mike, the owner.

Jake in the barn.
Charlie and Tammy

The ponies were camera shy today, will take more next week.  The centre has a guy who comes regularly, suffers from anxiety, and at one point he couldn't leave the house for five years. Now he comes here and does a few bits in town before going home. Think this is amazing!  Once you have been going long enough and know the horses and what you're doing you go in and get on with it. They dont supervise you constantly at that point. My confidence needs that kind of a boost!