Equine Therapy Program Supports Parents of Children with Special Needs

A facility providing equine therapy, which typically serves children and young people, has introduced a specialized program designed for parents and caregivers experiencing difficulties related to their child’s requirements. Small Strides, located in Beach, South Gloucestershire, established in 2014, has a long history of engagement with children and adolescents facing special educational needs and mental health challenges. The organization has now successfully obtained funding, enabling it to provide therapeutic sessions to parents whose mental well-being is declining as a result of their caregiving duties. According to founder Jenny MacSharry, the effectiveness of her work with young individuals necessitates support for their broader networks as well. Ms MacSharry informed BBC West that “Equine-assisted learning helps people develop life skills and a greater sense of self. It’s good for mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.” The team at Small Strides assists clients in enhancing their confidence and self-esteem, mitigating stress and anxiety, and refining non-verbal communication abilities. Ms MacSharry stated, “What we noticed was that some of the parents were really struggling. Children were coming to us and learning a lot about themselves and how to regulate their emotions, but going home and their parents were still stressed and overwhelmed with what they’ve got going on.” A pilot program conducted in July this year involved eight participants, who reported decreased levels of stress and anxiety, alongside enhanced self-esteem. Furthermore, these participants indicated an improvement in their concentration and more positive social interactions. Small Strides is currently pursuing additional funding to sustain its efforts and is also modifying its operational model to allow a greater number of parents to access therapy through day retreats. Therapeutic sessions may encompass activities such as horse care, including grooming and mucking out, guiding the animals through obstacle courses, or engaging in liberty work, which involves the horse moving freely in an open area. A crucial element of these sessions is the development of a connection with the horses. Ms MacSharry explained, “Horses don’t read our words, they read the energy inside. If you go into the stable saying ‘I’m fine’ but in reality you are very anxious, the horse might try and nip you, it might turn its bum and walk away, it might look really scared.” She continued, “That would be my invitation to say ‘what maybe is going on for you right now?’” She further elaborated, “This is the kind of conversation we bring in, getting people to bring that developmental self-awareness. Within that, whatever comes up, we’d pause, we’d talk about it and see if we want to go further in working with that.” Adele, a mother of three neurodivergent children, discovered that her therapy sessions provided opportunities to be outdoors, connect with others, and gain personal insights. She commented, “This environment is really nice because you are connecting with nature as well as other people and there are no distractions here – as part of this journey I have learned that I have ADHD. Interestingly the stress and pressures don’t come from [my] children themselves – they are amazing and they often think so differently it’s really enlightening. The stresses come from the systems and the lack of support.” She recounted that she was initially apprehensive around the horses and easily distracted, but now experiences a significantly greater sense of calm. She concluded, “[Equine therapy] is about looking after yourself, it is about educating yourself and it’s about all of those things you do to regulate yourself – it has a knock-on effect.” For updates, follow BBC Bristol on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be submitted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Details concerning its policy on external linking are available.