Horse Tales Hunter Valley

07/12/2024

If the origin of a persons traumatic experiences are human in nature then it may be difficult to feel safe in future human interactions.

There may also be a tendency to rate relationships based on the degree of safety they feel in them. This creates a hyper vigilance around human connections which can be exhausting.

Good mental health relies on safe human connections. Animals can help to build the feeling of having safe connections.

Animal-assisted therapists work within the scope of practice to help people who have been diagnosed with trauma related injuries to rebuild safe connections and put in place appropriate boundaries.

18/11/2024

UPDATE FROM GOLDADORS:
"We have found the perfect placement for our puppy via your post. His family already absolutely loves him and he will be enrolled in service dog training in the future... Thank you".

YAY :-)

We recently received this lovely offer from Rachel at Goldadors Australia, so we’re sharing with our HVCT community in case there’s someone out there looking for a puppy to join their family, with the potential for funding support.

Their website is at the bottom, so please reach out to them directly if you have any questions of need more info.

“We are local breeders specialising in utilising Golden Retriever and Labrador Retriever lines to produce sound family dogs. As our lines also include assistance dog genetics our puppies are also suited to therapy roles.

All our puppies have found wonderful family homes except our last male who has a very sweet and soft nature. We think he would be very well suited to a working role where he can provide comfort and emotional support.

Before we advertised more broadly I wanted to make contact with a local program to ask if they currently have any families or children they are working with that currently are looking for/might benefit from a suitable dog in their lives?

Parent dogs have been thoroughly health tested and have had genetic testing with Orivet Australia, hip and elbow scoring with radiologist Dr Roger Lavelle and eye certification with ophthalmology specialist Dr Yvette Crowe. The puppy and his parents are both available to view on our farm located in Mount Vincent in the Lower Hunter Valley.

We also would like to extend financial help to a suitable family or program where the puppy would have a support role.

Please feel free to give me a call if you would like discuss further and our website also has further information for anyone interested”.

https://www.goldadorsaustralia.com.au

18/11/2024

Our little friend has returned for a visit on the farm - looking very happy and healthy 🐍❤️

28/10/2024

“I attend equine-assisted psychotherapy and the outcomes so far have been around having a safe space to air difficult feelings,

I feel more grounded in times of crisis and having a 3-way conversation between me, the horse and the therapist.

Each arm of that 3-way communication is pivotal: sometimes I want to deal directly with the horse, sometimes I want to deal directly with the therapist.

I need the grounding of the horse and the therapist can explain what the horses are trying to communicate to me. I would be heartbroken without this type of support”.

08/10/2024

We need your help...

Are you a parent of a child who has been accessing animal-assisted services through their NDIS plan? Can you please tell ATL how much of a difference this has made to your child’s quality of life?

ATL is in the process of developing a National Media campaign to raise urgent funds to support the mental health of those in need Nationally.

We need help from those who are willing to share their story on how animal-assisted services have helped to improve the quality of their life to shape our media campaign.

If you are interested in being interviewed as part of ATL's media campaign or to have your story shared, please complete this application.

You can share your story here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MH3L937

08/10/2024

A great publication by on the benefits of delivering mental health support outdoors.

https://www.deakin.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/310747/Beyond-Blue-To-Green-Literature-Review.pdf

08/10/2024

Here’s a little explanation for those worried about the NDIS changes to Equine Therapy- nothing changes for all my clients - business as usual 😊

Equine Therapy and Animal-Assisted Therapy:

Participants can utilise equine therapy and other animal therapies if these are all delivered by qualified allied health professionals e.g Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapist etc. Therefore it is charged under the therapy line item and the animals and outdoor environment are incorporated into the therapy activities to promote engagement and effective therapy - also known as Equine assisted learning/therapy or animal assisted learning/therapy. To ensure it’s funded under the NDIS you just need to ensure it’s delivered by the qualified allied health professional as per the NDIS Guidelines.

It’s important to note: Participants are not getting “animal therapy”. They are getting Occupational Therapy or Speech therapy and working towards their therapy/NDIS goals. The animals and nature may be incorporated into activities to assist with achieving their allied health therapy goals (Just how clinic based therapist incorporate a lot of other stimuli to achieve their goals. Just because it’s not based in a clinic ‘room’ setting doesn’t mean it isn’t OT or speech therapy).

Update - the NDIS are currently updating their NDIS operational guidelines to provide clearer context for all providers.

We hope this helps!

22/09/2024

Pure joy ❤️

20/08/2024

Black Caviar — one of Australia's most famous horses — has died.

She was 17 years old, and been 'retired' from racing since 2013. But there was no rest for the 'champion' mare.

Her only reward for winning millions of gambling dollars for her owners was to then be treated like a breeding machine for the rest of her life. In 10 years, Black Caviar was impregnated — a process involving applying a restraint device to her face that was tightened if she protested — an exhausting nine times, so that her foals could be used for racing and breeding.

It is reported that she developed mastitis — an infection unique to breastfeeding mothers — while pregnant with her ninth foal. She then developed a severe and extremely painful condition known as laminitis. She was killed soon after giving birth. Tragically, her foal has also since passed away.

While we and so many others mourn the loss of this beautiful horse, we also remember the many others who 'disappear' every year without fanfare or recognition. The horses and foals who are too slow, old, sick, injured or otherwise 'unviable' for racing, who we will never hear about. They all deserve to be mourned, to be known, and remembered. They all deserve to be loved for who they are, not only valued by how much gambling money their bodies can generate.

No longer a 'racehorse'. No longer a 'broodmare'. No longer a commodity. Black Caviar was a thinking, feeling individual who was worth so much more than gambling money.

And now, she is finally free.

16/07/2024

A wonderful course facilitated by highly qualified practitioner working with the body for awareness and healing

https://www.kundaliniyoganewcastle.com.au/tuesday

26/04/2024

A little update for all the people who know and love bear , he was unfortunately hit by a car early morning on Anzac Day - he has a broken leg and has lost a few teeth due to the impact, he’s been in the great hands of the Dungog Vetinary team and is recovering well thanks to their amazing work. This dog has more lives than a cat as he has already previously survived a red belly bite and a paralysis tick - so this week bear will be looking forward to some extra love and gentle rest from all his friends who visit ❤️

31/03/2024

The Equine Psychotherapy Institute Model of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy is a professional, innovative and experiential approach to counselling, psychotherapy, and mental health that supports clients of all ages in addressing therapeutic goals (emotional, cognitive, behavioural, relational and spiritual issues, and mental health conditions), with horses as assistants, co-facilitators and teachers in this process.

In EAP clients are offered safe experiences with horses for the purpose of exploring self-experience, exploring experience in relationship, building self-awareness, building awareness of patterns/habits that are no-longer serving clients well, psychological healing and addressing clinical or therapeutic goals clients have identified or agreed to.

EAP practitioners are registered Psychotherapists, Counsellors or Mental Health Clinicians, e.g. Psychologists, Social Workers, MH Nurses.

27/03/2024

Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) is a unique approach to experiential learning, where clients are offered safe experiences with horses for the purposes of personal development, social-emotional and relationship skills building, enhancing quality of life, and professional development skill development (e.g., leadership and team building).
EAL’s offer services and programs that focus on increasing clients’ quality of life, supporting relationship skills, improving organisational and/or leadership skills. EAL services are a great fit, for many individuals, including those receiving NDIS support, people looking for personal growth and development services, and for corporate teams and managers.

12/03/2024

06/02/2024

The new health pilot program initiated by the Western District Health Service (WDHS) is kicking off in February and will find out if outdoor adventures can help improve health and boost community engagement.

Find out more: https://ab.co/3vUTZ0a

21/12/2023

Emerging Minds strives to be a leader in authentically and effectively engaging with people with lived experience, such as our child and family partners. It's our goal that engagement is both empowering for, and supportive of, the people we are working with, and provides better outcomes for families and children experiencing adversity across Australia.

The newly established Emerging Minds Child and Family Partner Disaster and Climate Change Advisory Network seeks to continue this valuable work, while also expanding our knowledge and understanding of the needs of infants, children and families in relation to disasters.

Parents or young people with experience of disaster are invited to express their interest in being part of the new advisory network by Tuesday, 16 January 2024. Network members will be remunerated for their time and expertise, and supported to engage in the work.

You can read more about the work in this expression of interest form and apply here: https://bit.ly/3NA17oC

21/12/2023

Well that’s a wrap for horse tales 2023 ! What a fabulous year we have had here on the farm ! We wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and new year - we are looking forward to seeing what exciting adventures 2024 brings us 😊
Here are some gorgeous pics of a few of the wonderful people the dogs horses and I get to share my days with and their achievements over the year 🎄❤️