Amerron Acres CIC

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Amerron Acres CIC

Equine assisted therapy centre

24/08/2024

One of my biggest struggles due to my ADHD is reading. I LOVE learning, I like reading, but I find it very hard to complete a book even if I'm really interested in it and it's a good book. This is my current bed side table pile of books that I've started, keep going back to but haven't finished. I don't read fiction at all but love reading to learn.

Currently trying to decide what to pack to take on holiday....I'm going to try really hard to finish one or two and have some discipline. What's a reasonable number of books to take?

Then when I get back I'm going to try and find a method and become better at something I like.

Let's not talk about the bookshelf downstairs, my Kindle and Audible list and my Amazon wishlist.....🤣

18/08/2024

Half way through the residential at
It's been lots of fun welcoming many families to spend time with the horses, have a sensory experience, lead the horses through obstacle courses, give them a brush and Sparkle the horses with glitter and bows. The goats have enjoyed the attention too. It's been huge smiles and horse hugs and tranquil calm all round.
Photo of two of the wonderful Sparkle volunteers enjoying some calm with Morgana.

15/08/2024

We do a lot of drawing during EFL sessions with young people. To help learn how to connect with the body and how to recognise and regulate emotions.
I love this drawing of a "shocked heart" a young person drew when explaining how they felt inside a lot of the time. By communicating this, we now understand each other, and when her heart might feel shocked so we can look at ways to bring her back to calm. It's been great progress to get this far for a child who didn't have the emotional intelligence to explain anxiety, fear etc but was obviously struggling by her behaviour. The horses have really helped to facilitate this process.

10/08/2024

No Albert! That's paint...not feed 🙄 Always the nosey and curious one...

09/08/2024

I would say over 90% of the parenting dilemmas posed to me daily have one very simple answer; “you’re expecting too much of them”.

Our expectations of child behaviour are totally warped in society today. We just expect too much of kids (and no age or behaviour is immune). We expect them to sleep like adults. We expect them to control their impulses like adults, regulate their emotions like adults, manage their time like adults, observe social rules and niceties like adults and eat like adults (and as adults – our eating is totally screwed and unnatural, check out my ‘Gentle Eating Book’ for more). We expect them to consider the consequences of their actions like adults, communicate like adults and plan for the future like adults. If they can’t do these things we desperately try to ‘fix them’ and train and discipline them to do them (and frequently get frustrated when our efforts fail).

The thing is babies can’t do these things. Toddlers can’t do these things. School aged children can’t do these things. Teenagers can’t do these things – heck, even adults struggle to do these things a lot of the time! .

If you take just one piece of advice from me – please make it be to drop your expectations. Stop expecting mature adult behaviour from a child (and teens are still children!) who has a totally different brain structure to you. It’s a recipe for stress and disaster. You can’t teach a baby to drive a car. You wouldn’t even try……but that’s what happens when you try to teach or discipline children to do something that is beyond their development and age ability.

Understanding and accepting normal, natural child development is the way forward. Reset those expectations and if you can, adapt life around them for a while. This is the key to calmer, happier family life.

08/08/2024

It's been a scary and confusing world for so many people living in the UK this week, truly awful 😭 Sending out positive thoughts and hopes for peace 💕 there is no place for racism.

08/08/2024

A lovely day off today visiting the Stubbs art exhibition at Wentworth Woodhouse. It's a great place to visit and if you are a horse lover then the exhibition is worth going to (on until November 3rd).
I was fascinated to learn that as Stubbs got older, he much preferred painting horses riderless and in their natural state rather than wearing bits and being ridden. With the current high topic of the pain and unhappiness being highlighted in SOME of the Olympic dressage horses, it's sad that not a lot has changed for the horse (in general). Yet an artist in 1783 could see what some people are trying so desperately to show the world now.
As someone who enjoys horses most in their natural state, I could really relate to how Stubbs may have felt too. I hope things change this century for horses as a species and the way some humans treat them 🙏

06/08/2024

Guess which herb Freja has been eating?
Our horses get a variety of freshly growing plants and herbs. We also dry nettles, thistles, rosehip and offer some in a water buffet. Horses will self select herbs for medicinal use and they all have different preferences.

02/08/2024

When I first started working with horses in this way, there was always the pressure that I needed to plan lots and know which exercise to use to facilitate the healing that could take place. But now I know that creating opportunities, holding space and choosing the right moments are far more important than planning.
We held a beautiful child led session today, these 2 powerful but very different matriarch mares wanted to be with the child. The two of them struggle to be in each other’s company as they haven’t known each other long and clash in many ways, both protective, strong feminine motherly figures but different in their approach. The child (unaware) naturally created this wonderful set up, with each horse relaxed, licking away at salt licks and likkit treats and then put a seat between them as she gently danced and flowed between them, stroking, twiddling and practicing breathing exercise.

I can’t put into words the energy on “that chair” with the 2 mares overlapping – in harmony and coming together for the sake of the child. It felt very yin and yang. I also can’t put into words the reasons this child has been referred to Amerron Acres for therapeutic interventions (client confidentiality), but I can say that the horses didn’t need to read her referral form to know exactly what she needed. Healing on a level humans can’t put into words.

I’ve seen both Freja and Poppy show up in this way for clients but coming together was something quite remarkable. I’m sure I will see it again though… Lets hope they can stand to be in each other’s space more often!

26/07/2024

The horse world has been shaken the last few days following the release of a video showing horse abuse by an Olympic level rider. A few people have asked me about this and equestrians are commenting, making statements. I feel I should too, as someone working alongside horses and training them, to explain that not everybody is like that, and to explain how we do things here at Amerron Acres.
I’m disappointed that this person has been exposed to be using these types of training techniques, as she appeared to be a decent role model and equestrian. I’m far from surprised though, horse abuse goes on in front of our eyes in the media daily, on various levels. I often think that if images of horses were replaced with lions or elephants then maybe the world would look with different eyes and see what horses go through. The problem is that horses are such willing, pleasing partners they put up with much more than many other animals would, making them an easy target of abuse for the benefit of human ego. It’s a complex situation filled with varied opinions, there are some people that think joining with horses for human therapy is cruel, riding them at all is cruel. Maybe they are right?

I’m not going to comment about the competitive world, as I don’t really know. I’ve never been competitive myself and even as a child, I found forceful riding and handling uncomfortable. I lost the privilege to ride one particular horse because I wouldn’t hit it over jumps because I thought it was uncomfortable rather than “stubborn”. I’m not a great rider – and I certainly don’t class myself as a great horsewoman or trainer but I do consider myself a kind horseperson. I make mistakes, as everyone does, I have in the past, and I will do in the future but I will keep learning and trying harder for the horses in my care.

We always aim to give horses a choice and a voice here – ethical and kind practice – equal partners in the work we do. The result is a herd who calmly show up for work with humans, authentically, with personality and willing to give what is needed to help the mental health of people which is a pretty special gift.

25/07/2024

Today Freja had a few teeth pulled by the vet. She has a horrible condition called EORTH. It wasn't straight forward.... poor Freja spent time on meat lorries in Europe before being rescued to the UK, eventually ending up here. I don't think she will ever travel again. I did think she would load onto a trailer to have the procedure done, but after trying for a while, it was proving pointless!

Luckily our wonderful vets at Bakewell Equine Clinic didn't give up easily and accommodated Frejas exceptional circumstances (usually it's a visit to the clinic for a tooth extraction). Also lucky that Amco-Griffen workmen were still here with all the tools necessary to create a make-shift partial stocks - including some padding.

Thank you everyone involved for going above and beyond for this special sweet horse who gives so willingly to help humans.

23/07/2024

Schools out for the summer!
What does that mean at Amerron Acres?
Our term time sessions have finished until September. Some adult sessions have moved into the evening to help give those adults some 'me time' and self care during the school holidays.

We have limited availability in the next few weeks on Mondays, Fridays or weekends for equine facilitated learning sessions with children, adults, families or groups so if you are thinking of booking, please do so soon.

We welcome Sparkle Sheffield members for a week in August when we will be fully booked. Can't wait!

Then me and the horses will be taking a break before the school term starts again.

We are looking forward to welcoming new clients through school referrals in September, there is still some availability if equine facilitated learning would benefit your child as part of their timetable. Or if you are a school teacher or therapist who would like to refer, please get in touch, share etc.

17/07/2024

Happy goats! 😊

16/07/2024

Wow these guys have been amazing the last couple of days! I can't believe how much progress they have made so far. My knights in shining orange taking away all the stress (and cost of labour) involved with a building project 😄 truly amazing. The new shelter is going to make such a huge difference for the horses, visitors and sessions (having easy access to get out of the rain opens up more opportunities). Today involved laying concrete for a base and the surrounding area so less mud!
So grateful 🙏 and what a fantastic company policy!

12/07/2024

Let the works begin!
This has been a long time in the planning and I can't quite believe it's all coming together but it is. Today was the start of a few projects to improve the facilities at Amerron Acres CIC for the horses and clients. It's becoming a wonderful collaboration of business support from 4 different organisation's who are supplying and funding all the work, materials as well as repurposing Poppys shelter from her previous home!
We are so grateful for this to be happening, I will share more details in the next few days.
I've met some really special people whilst organising this project and it is going to make such a huge difference to us as a small community interest company, we could not have done it without this support.
Eek exciting changes!!

10/07/2024

Thank you for always being a perfect gentleman Harry. ❤️

09/07/2024

Bookings now being taken for family sessions and 1:1 equine facilitated learning sessions to support mental health (adults and children).

As the school term is coming to a close, so too are our term time client sessions so we have space to book during the 6 weeks holiday.

Please get in touch for booking and availability and please share. 🙏

[email protected]
www.amerronacres.co.uk

01/07/2024

What a tail.

30/06/2024

Slow Down....that is often the message from the horses. Just slow down in doing, in thinking, in planning, in being. Horses have such speed and power but it is their stillness which is a huge gift we can learn from.

28/06/2024

Observations - So many conversations this week around social behavior, group dynamics, what would I do? Who am I most like? Who does Morgana remind you of? All learning and self awareness for our clients, recognising things they didn't know in themselves thanks to observing the herd.

27/06/2024

Jayson Gaddis ❤

26/06/2024

Ew YUK! I've had a horrible virus the last couple of weeks, apologies for the sessions that I have had to cancel and rearrange. I am still coughing but over the worst of it.
Freja has been giving me these lovely cuddles where she just cocoons me in the way only Freja can. She is such a sweet and nurturing soul.

26/06/2024

Parenting in Process 💕

26/06/2024

Acceptance.

25/06/2024

We are experiencing a lot of horse flies at the moment, the horses are protected with sprays, creams and rugs if needed. Please can you make sure you wear trousers when visiting, even though it is hot, it adds protection.

22/06/2024

Spot an unfamiliar face? After lots of planning, challenges, hurdles, achievements, ups and downs, moments of pondering... maybe this isn't meant to be? Then signs that this absolutely is meant to be. Poppy is here at her new home; Amerron Acres. Every horse I have encountered in my life is a part of my journey. Harry's arrival here was so straight forward and within days its like he had always been here. It took Freja years to believe this was her home. Let's see what this next chapter brings. Welcome to Poppy. We can't wait for you to meet her ❤️

20/06/2024

Most of the gang!

Address

Edale

Telephone

+447879647508

Website

http://www.amerronacres.co.uk/

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Videos

Sometimes during a session there is a magical moment that occurs. No words needed, just a moment of beauty where you know something shifted and healing took place #horses #horsetherapy #horsesofinstagram #equinefacilitatedlearning #healing #winter #snow #edale #peakdistrict

Golden mountains....not long now til the shortest day of light.

Peter Piper part of the team @amerronacres and a wonderful soul. ❤️ #dogsofinstagram #dogs #therapydog #therapyherd #coregulation #edale

#retreats #selfdiscovery #edale #personalgrowth www.amerronacres.co.uk

Beautiful day with the horses at Amerron Acres. #equinefacilitatedlearning

Relax and breathe with the herd

Take a 2 minute break to breathe, listen to the birds and be with the herd (and dogs, who aren't quite so calm...). Become aware of your breathing... Count to 4 on the in breath... 5 on the out breath. Just breathe nice long deep body breathes for these 2 minutes and think of nothing else. How was it for you? Hope you have a calm rest of day. www.amerronacres.co.uk

Video 508 of the same thing. Super clever Jack starts to untie himself... I spot him and get my phone out..Jack spots me spotting him, stops what he is doing and pretends he isn't doing anything... Then looks at me like "what? I wasn't doing anything!" 508 to Jack, 0 to me. I will catch your clever teeth skills on film one day Jack. Until then, here is a boring video of Jack doing nothing. Such great awareness he has 😜 🤦‍♀️

National I love horses day 🥰 So much reason to love these incredible teachers. Powerful, intelligent and here to help us humans to a greater level of awareness and happiness. Thank you horses. I love you 😘❤️ #horses #equinefacilitatedlearning #nationalilovehorsesday