Equine Assisted Development and Therapy
What is Equine Assisted Development and Therapy?
“We have improved 100% and are now able to talk and tap (EFT) through most situations. We are so grateful for all your help, love and support. You have made our ups and downs a lot easier to handle and created safe and productive spaces for us to be individuals and a cohesive whanau.” AZZ
Equine Assisted Learning and Therapy is where horses are incorporated into the well-being support and Mental Health treatment for people.
We offer Equine Assisted Learning where we run sessions to help with building self-confidence, healthy relationships, develop empathy, improve self-esteem etc. These sessions are not “therapy” and are designed to focus on our clients’ strengths.
We also offer an equine assisted psychotherapy service whereby horses are involved in sessions providing therapeutic support for the client. These sessions are supported by a registered Counsellor. Scroll down and meet the facilitators and horses.
Herd By Horses uses the internationally recognised EAGALA Model in therapy work. This is a team approach that includes a licensed, credentialed Mental Health Professional, a qualified Equine Specialist and horses, working together with the client, at all times.
All the work is done on the ground, no riding or horse experience is needed. The horses are often at liberty and the metaphors they highlight are what is significant for our clients. They have the space and support to reflect, project and make deep connections. This type of modality is often useful for people who don’t like to engage in traditional “talk” therapy.
Click on the button below for a glimpse of the type of work we do.
Why Horses?
Sensitive Prey Animals
As prey animals, horses have evolved to be very sensitive to their environment for survival. They instinctively process and react to our body language and other nonverbal cues providing us with valuable feedback and insights for other areas of our lives.
Unique Characteristics
Horses have their own distinct characteristics, attitudes and moods. They are social animals like us, and have roles within the herd, that often changing and evolving. They could be introverted, playful, grumpy, nurturing - horses are a lot like us!
Powerful and Dynamic
Horses have a size and presence that is hard to ignore. We can’t overpower a horse. Approaching horses helps us reflect on how we approach our relationships, and how we can face other big or overwhelming things in our lives.
“It is awesome how the children are able to watch the ponies behaviours and compare what they are seeing to what happens in situations in their own lives. More importantly I have also seen the success of these sessions through the ongoing improvement the children make after they have finished. It is truly worthwhile.” TA
Our facilitators
Kelly Henry - Equine Specialist EAGALA Certified
Kelly is the owner and founder of Herd By Horses. She is professionally trained and certified in the EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning) model. EAGALA is the leading international non-profit association for professionals incorporating horses to address mental health and personal development needs. Kelly has over 20 years of horse experience. She has witnessed the magic of the horse and human bond many times, and loves seeing the transformations in clients from their interactions with the horses.
Caroline Beaufort-Puna - Registered Teacher & Equine Specialist
Caroline has over 21 years of teaching experience. She also trained in EAGALA (Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association.) in 2011. Her interest in helping teenagers with mental health issues sparked a passion for finding alternative avenues to use in conjunction with other methods to reduce anxiety and improve mental wellbeing. Caroline found while doing her training, that equine activities and outdoor experiences proved beneficial for all ages and provided help for a huge range of physical and mental challenges.
Carolyn Brown - Counsellor
Carolyn is a compassionate counsellor who has always believed in the healing power of the human-animal bond. She has combined her passions for both mental health and animals to offer an animal-assisted psychotherapy approach, which can have a profound impact on the healing process. Carolyn’s professional qualifications include a Bachelor of Counselling and courses in animal assisted psychotherapy and working with children and adolescents’ through The Equine Psychotherapy Institute in Australia. She is a registered member of the NZ Association of Counsellors and receives ongoing training and supervision.
