Therapy for and by horses
Suffering horses needing therapy now provide therapy for us
In recent years horses have suffered and been abandoned in enormous quantities. Recession and hard times have not missed out our equine friends and ever increasing numbers are overwhelming sanctuaries and charities such as the RSPCA. This story tells about actress Jenny Seagrove and the horse sanctuary that she “accidentally” set up and how from small beginnings, and with a lot of generous help she now runs a charity that looks after 24 horses.
In doing this Jenny now has an enormous liability and she realised that the sanctuary had to have a greater purpose and wouldn’t survive forever on handouts from her celebrity friends.
The horses had a lot of problems and many needed therapy and from therapy for horses stemmed therapy by horses. The article is fascinating and if you like my brief quoted except please go to the original (link below). The charity is The Mane Chance – well worth a donation.
Daisy was found wandering the streets of Chessington, in Surrey. Gwen and Phyllis were both abandoned while pregnant on nearby Send Common. Ocean is frightened of women. Ernie had bitten a man’s face and was full of anger. ”I shouldn’t have a favourite,’’ says actress Jenny Seagrove, pointing out some of the 24 horses grazing in the shelter of the surrounding Surrey Hills. ”But, ahh, Grimbo,’’ she says, gently stroking a skewbald miniature Shetland with an adorable quiff, ”you are my main man.’’
Seagrove set up this centre on borrowed farmland four years ago – with help from philanthropist Simrin Choudhrie – to rescue abandoned horses, but quickly realised that the animals could develop a reciprocal role as what she calls a ”healing herd’’.
Equine therapy is far from unknown, however – so how does hers differ? ”We don’t just use the horses – they benefit, too,” she says, smiling. “It is mutual.”
”We’re at the start of a very big journey to see a new purpose for horses in society as healers, but you have to start somewhere, says Seagrove’’
Grimbo would certainly agree.
Please read the full article by Victoria Lambert in The Telegraph.
