Horses for Hope manager Kim Hider, Clydesdale cross Breeze, lead horse practitioner Alison Dohnt and counsellor James Argiro.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
If you’ve heard of Horses for Hope but aren’t quite sure what it’s all about, you will have a unique opportunity to find out for yourself and see it firsthand at an upcoming display day.
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Horses for Hope is a service that has provided therapy for horses and humans on a peaceful property north of Mooroopna for 20 years.
The display day on Saturday, October 12 will be the first day the facility has been open to the public in over five years.
In the past two years, the not-for-profit service has doubled its capacity, yet that hasn’t alleviated the ever-growing waiting list, so the display day will offer a rare look inside to anyone curious about attending the program themselves, or for a friend or family member, to see how it all works.
The idea behind the dual horse-human therapy it delivers is that by establishing a connection between the two beings, both will heal and improve their quality of life.
Clients come for 90-minute sessions, which consist of a chat with a counsellor followed by horse work with one of the horses on the 10-hectare property, led and supervised by a horse practitioner.
Each session finishes with another chat to debrief with the counsellor.
All of the horses have experienced some form of trauma. Once they are rehabilitated, they graduate.
Visits to the farm are usually by appointment, so Horses for Hope is keen to welcome as many guests as possible on the display day, to also allow the horses to experience a large group of people.
Organisers have chosen to host the display day during Mental Health Week and say while not everybody who visited their service was affected by adverse mental health, the majority of participants were.
“We are very excited to be hosting the upcoming Horses for Hope Display Day, where our supporters, past participants, local service providers and community can come along, meet our horse practitioners and counsellors, and hear about how our special program helps both our horse and humans heal together,” Horses for Hope manager Kim Hider said.
Guests will meet the Horses for Hope team and learn about the equine narrative therapy program it offers.
They will be treated to a demonstration of horsework, a horse parade and a guided farm tour.
Peanut the miniature pony is one of the many horses receiving therapy, and helping provide therapy for humans, at the farm.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
While clients do pay a fee for therapy sessions, it’s not enough to cover the operational costs of running and developing the organisation.
Funding comes from occasional grants and fluctuating donations, so small or large ones are always welcomed.
While Horses for Hope celebrates its 20th year, it is on a quest to raise $20,000 for the cause in its $20.20K.20YRS campaign.
There is no cost to attend the display day; however, a gold coin donation will go towards reaching that goal should anyone wish to contribute.
Two guided sessions, at 10am and noon, will last around 90 minutes at the display day.
Horses for Hope is asking people to register their interest for catering purposes.
Counsellor James Argiro taking a stroll with Peanut the miniature pony.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
