How Hoofbeats Sanctuary’s equine therapy program gave Rose a second chance at life

“Rose*, my now 14-year-old daughter, is not your typical teenage girl,” says her mother, Helen*. “Recently diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder level 2 and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and being what they call twice-exceptional, she doesn’t attend a ‘regular’ school and she doesn’t have any friends that she catches up with, nor does she venture out of the house much.

“But what she is, is HAPPY.

“It has taken us years and years of heartache to get to this point. At the age of 13, suffering from extreme anxiety and depression, and crying out for help that we just couldn’t glean from the public and private psychological services that we had been persevering with, Rose attempted to take her own life. In her words, it was just too hard, and she couldn’t go on anymore, not knowing if anything was ever going to get any better.

“Rose had tried art therapy, talk therapy, drug therapy… nothing was helping. Somehow, I stumbled upon an article about the benefits of equine therapy and from there an idea started to take hold. I hastily submitted an application, crossed my fingers, and waited. The Hoofbeats team responded very quickly, offering Rose a place in their girls’ program.”

The Go Remarkable Equine Therapy Program for Girls

The Go Remarkable Equine Therapy Program for Girls, run by Hoofbeats Sanctuary, is for those aged 12–24 who are living with mental health challenges as a result of traumatic life experiences. Many live in foster care or domestic violence refuges and are financially disadvantaged because of their circumstances. Hoofbeats received a $15,000 Foundation Community Grant to help run the program.

“Because horses are herbivore prey animals with lots of predators, they have evolved to have extremely effective communication skills within their herd to enable them to survive,” explains
Hoofbeats Sanctuary Founder and CEO Barb Blashki. “They are finely tuned to even the most subtle changes in the body language and emotions of other horses and of the people around them.”

“They want to be around, and to please, those who display calm, quiet, controlled, slow, confident and kind behaviours and they will distance themselves from, and be uncooperative with, those who are agitated, loud, unpredictable, quick and aggressive in their approach.

“This allows us to teach participants to be wholly present in the moment and attentive to how the horse is responding. This attentiveness is closely aligned to mindfulness meditation – an activity that has been shown to be particularly useful for trauma-healing. As participants work through the program they develop not just improvements in self-esteem and self-confidence, but they learn how to self-regulate, taking control of their emotions and behaviours.

“The program is facilitated by Marie Rene – herself an inspirational young woman with lived experience of mental health challenges from childhood experiences, especially in dealing with feelings of unworthiness. She understands what it takes to heal and is proof that it is possible.”

The healing power of equine therapy

The program consists of 12 private weekly appointments. “From the first day that Rose set foot onto the grass at the Sanctuary, she seemed to relax a little,” Helen shares. “Going somewhere new, meeting someone new, and having to talk in that one-on-one environment was a confronting scenario for her. Marie was so gentle, supportive, and just gave Rose the space to ‘be’.

Each week, as Rose attended another session, she spoke more and more in the car on the way home. She would describe to me the different horses and their quirky personalities; who was bonded with who; and which horses seemed to really enjoy her company. She taught me how horses blow out their breath to release tension, and how humans could do that too.

“By the end of the 12 weeks, Rose had made incredible progress and for the first time, it seemed that she could deal more with everyday life.”

Returning to Hoofbeats Sanctuary

“Some months later, Marie reached out about a new program on offer at Hoofbeats. This time it was a teenage girl group program, where Rose could interact with others her age as well as the horses. Again, this program was a huge help for her. She started becoming a little more comfortable around others and a big takeaway for her from the sessions was around setting and understanding boundaries.

“The past few years have been a tumultuous journey for Rose and our family. Hoofbeats Sanctuary and Marie have been an integral part of that journey and Rose’s recovery.

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Kim*: “I was vulnerable, afraid, insecure and sad”

“I wanted to feel more confident so that I could work through fears… not always imagining worst-case scenarios. I wanted to work on my self-love and self-acceptance. I had seen multiple therapists and counsellors. I had also been to some body healing sessions, for example massage, spiritual cleansing etc. I felt personally that none of these were helpful, some were harmful.

Whilst at the Sanctuary I felt very validated. I struggle a lot with speaking for myself and socialising, however, I felt very safe and I never felt I was being judged or I was saying the wrong thing. Being outside with the horses made me feel very peaceful and more grounded, I spend a lot of time inside and struggle with anxiety but I felt a stillness and quietness being with the animals.”

“I also had fun, even though we spoke mostly about trauma and healing, there were a lot of moments where I felt like I was just talking with a friend and spending time in nature and that made me feel so much less alone.

I learned mostly about trust, through opening up in sessions but also with the horses. I also learned that sometimes everything seems extra overwhelming and intense when you are isolated and alone, but going out into an environment such as the Sanctuary can help put things into perspective or just help calm your nervous system.

The program has helped me be less critical of myself and take steps towards releasing pressure I put on myself, and to honour myself – whether I need to set boundaries, allow myself to rest, learn to love myself or use my voice.”

Three words that describe me now: Connected, safe and calmer.

Zarah*: “I was struggling with a lot”

“Before starting the program I was struggling with a lot, mostly having to do with self-confidence, regulating and processing my emotions, and navigating meltdowns and depressive episodes.

I was still very new to navigating my recent mental health diagnoses and was struggling a lot with my self-confidence, I felt like I wasn’t good enough or at the same ‘level’ in life as my other friends were. I barely left the house – other than therapy and TAFE – due to my intense social anxiety. I felt like I was spiralling downwards and would end up in the hospital again.

I had been getting regular support (a psychologist fortnightly, and a psychiatrist monthly). I had been in the hospital the year before and earlier this year. Following my discharge, I had been part of a support group which went for 12 weeks. Nothing seemed to make a big difference.”

“The Sanctuary was definitely a safe space for me, I was able to calm down and open up and not feel uncomfortable during the process. Being in nature always calms me down and helps me to breathe and not get overstimulated. I was able to connect with Marie really easily and felt safe and comfortable when discussing stressful topics, she always made me feel listened to and I always felt safe, even with my slight fear towards the horses!

I am much better at being able to ground myself in the situation and focus on the present rather than stressing about the past or future. I’m able to process my emotions better and communicate to others how I’m feeling. This program has made me feel so happy and safe.”

Four words that describe me now: Hopeful, confident, empathetic and empowered.

Ariana*: “I was feeling overwhelmed, let down, scared”

“I was running away from many things. My complex post-traumatic stress disorder was dominating my life and I was reacting sometimes in angry ways. I didn’t trust myself to make decisions, I was guarded and found it extremely difficult to trust others.

I had been through traditional psychology therapy for a very long time because that’s where I was constantly told to go. I was so frustrated because it was not helping at all, and it was making me relive the trauma over and over with every new therapist. I felt so stuck and drained.

Initially at the Sanctuary I felt very guarded, but by the third session I began relaxing and trusting my facilitator who helped me become aware of my triggers, observe my body and the horses’ methods of releasing tension and stress. I was really amazed with the things I learnt observing and interacting with the horses and understanding their individual stories. I felt very seen and heard which was new to me.”

“I learned to be more grounded and confident in my decisions, thoughts and feelings. I became more attuned to how to centre myself when anxiety starts to build. The peace and joy at the Sanctuary feel like an anchor whenever I feel panicky.

I have been able to use my new techniques to cope when difficult situations arise. It is still very much a practise and apply thing, but I am much more confident in my ability to get through a triggering event now.”

Three words that describe me now: Capable, strong and hopeful.

About the Community Grants Program

Every year the Sisters of Charity Foundation provides grants of up to $15,000 to small not-for-profits across Australia, like Hoofbeats Sanctuary, that use clever ways to fight disadvantage, loneliness, suffering and oppression.

Learn more at Community Grants Program.

*Names of program participants have been changed for privacy reasons.