Animal Experiences
People of all ages can benefit from Leaning Tree Animal and Equine Experiences. My animals and I can help if you or your loved ones:
Have personal or psychological concerns
Are looking for an alternative to traditional mental health treatments
Have trouble talking about individual needs
Want to engage in mindfulness
Would like to more fully understand and explore personal emotions and reactions
Wish to find joy in simple activities, such as brushing, feeding and leading horses
In children, animal therapy teaches empathy, communication and social skills, and can help them manage their own behaviour. It also provides opportunities for children to experience unconditional, positive and accepting relationships, which they may not have been able to achieve with human interaction.
“The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit and fire.
Sharon Ralls Lemon
Equine Assisted Learning (Ela)
These sessions are for individuals or small groups of all ages and involve one or more horses under my gentle guidance. You or your child are taught mindfulness techniques through interaction with the horses, which encourage you to reflect on your thoughts, feelings and emotions. This helps you develop self-awareness and an understanding of how others might view you.
Why Horses?
Horses are highly social animals. Living in a herd is their natural way of life, providing them with protection against predators. Horses are highly sensitive to the emotions of their herd mates, and react quickly to any individuals change in mood or behaviour. Their main method of communication is through body language.
Horses respond in a similar way to humans, expertly perceiving our emotions and providing immediate feedback to our behaviours. This can help us to identify and then work through our true feelings, allowing us to learn more about yourselves and our relationship patterns. Horses offer safe, non-judgemental space for us to share our concerns and experiment with new ideas.
You are guaranteed both honesty and unconditional support from these majestic and gentle animals.
Who can benefit from ELA sessions?
Individuals with personal and psychological concerns and conditions, including PTSD, eating disorders, additiction, depression, Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADD/ADHD, negative behavioural issues and many others.
How can horses help me or my child?
Working with horses can help you or your child to develop:
Effective communication and relationship skills
Healthy coping mechanisms
Improved self-esteem and self-acceptance
Positive leadership and parenting skills
Self regulation and responsibility
Stress reduction techniques
Deeper self-awareness
“We will never have to tell our horse that we are sad, happy, confident, angry or relaxed. He already knows - long before we do.”
Marine de Jong
