Saddle up to beat stress
October 24, 2005
Anita Kania offers equine assisted learning and therapy from her farm in Crowton, near Northwich. She believes that horses can help people to beat a number of mental health problems, including anxiety and depression.
Her company, called EQ Harmony, has received a grant from Business Link in Cheshire. It has been praised by government ministers as a "pioneering example of social enterprise" and is one of only a handful of firms to use horses as a therapy tool, an idea that is already well established in the US.
Talking about the value of horses for therapy, Anita said: "Horses are amazing creatures. They're very sensitive and have this unique ability to understand our body language.
"They can give us a real insight into how we communicate with others.
"If someone is feeling tense or aggressive, it will be reflected in the horse's reaction to that person.
"Horses are honest, which makes them especially powerful messengers.
"One in four people is believed to suffer from a mental health problem in their lifetime. Most of these are anxiety, depression, low self-esteem or coping with the stress of everyday life. Equine therapy helps people to become more aware of themselves."
Source: Manchester Evening News, 20/10/2005