We’re all human, we all need a little bit of help sometimes and if we’re willing to learn, our life lessons can come from the most unexpected of places.

In our own special equine way the ‘Learn from horses’ team are delivering the unique ‘Horses Helping Humans’TM program to the Mid North Coast region.

This one-of-a-kind program was developed by Queensland mother of two, Sue Spence who through her own challenging journey and her lifelong love for horses found that she could help others by sharing her knowledge.

“There is no ‘hiding’ around horses,” says Sue, award-winning author of ‘Horses who Heal’ and breast cancer survivor. “Horses don’t care what you say, they see how you ‘feel’ and they will react in kind. If you’re aggressive around a horse, they will be fearful, if you are timid they won’t do anything you ask, our program aims to develop an awareness of body language so people can better communicate in a calm yet assertive manner.”

The specialised Program has grown out of the well-known and highly regarded work that Sue has been doing for many years using horses to help humans learn effective communication and body language skills. Specifically, the program teaches clients the basics of natural horsemanship ground skills (no riding involved) which are based on mutual respect and trust between horse and handler.

The program aims to:

• Build confidence and self-esteem.
• Develop emotional control and self-discipline.
• Assist with anger management and impulse control.
• Develop healthy relationship skills by respecting self and others.
• Allow people to have fun in an environment with no pressure.

Horses have taught us patience with ourselves. They inspire a mental calmness and we want to be able to share that with others. There are so many in our community that may not have positive role models in their life, nor had an opportunity to fulfil their lives, this program offers an alternative way for people to reconnect and begin to find trust.

Since ‘LEARN from Horses Inc.’ launched in February 2017 we have been working together with Enterprise and Training Company, Family and Community Services, Mid Coast Communities, St Vincent de Paul, Youth on Track, Nautilus Senior College and individuals referred from Mid North Coast Mental Health Services.

In particular, this program is producing good results with people ranging from improved self-reliance, reduced school suspensions and better engagement in the community. Students learn how to gently back their horses away from them to create healthy safe boundaries, how to circle their horses around them on a 12ft lead, pop them over small jumps and lead them around an agility course. By working together with the horses, students learn vital skills such as improved communication, self-regulation, respect and trust for others and to contribute meaningfully to their local community.

An example of the effect the program is detailed here by the parents of one of our participants.

“Deb and Rod O'Malley provide a unique therapeutic program, Learn from Horses. Our daughter has completed the program and has had amazing growth in her self-confidence, self-esteem and communication skills in the three weeks of the course than in the previous two years. The positive changes that have occurred in our daughter are the result of this wonderful program. The participants of the program learn to communicate with the horses through body language, which provides the participants with immediate non-critical feedback from the horses. These communication skills are directly transferrable to peers. We highly recommend this innovative program.”