Shine Equine Therapy & Safety
At Shine, we committed to safety – safety for our clients, professionals and horses alike.
Whenever we work, or are around horses, there is always an element of “unknown”. Horses are living, breathing creatures, who think and feel independently of those around them – which is why they work so well in the arena with clients.
We encourage the horses to just “be horses” and behave as horses do. Horses, by nature, are not aggressive – their first line of defence is to move away. When horses are tied up or in a small area, this limits their ability to move away. The model used at Shine supports a horse’s natural instinct to walk away by the nature of being loose in the space, and able to be their natural selves.
We do not wish to impede on the processes which may occur within a session – which is why a brief but clear discussion will be had with you when you arrive – about the horses, their behaviours, and how to be safe with them. Participants are encouraged to observe their environment, the horses, and where they are in relation to the horses. These strategies for safety are discussed as part of our standard operating procedures.
Your therapeutic team will assist you to interpret your interactions with the horses – what is working, what is not – and therefore, what may need to be done differently. Learning more about being safe with horses (utilising assertiveness, boundaries, effective communication etc) are skills which can be readily transferred to our day to day lives.
One of the reasons we have an Equine Specialist and a Mental Health Professional present during the sessions is to make sure safety is always a priority, and if any issues in relation to safety arise, they may be addressed with minimal intrusion to your session.
We do suggest that clients wear enclosed shoes and dress for the weather conditions on the day (boots and coat for winter, sunscreen and hat for summer).
- The horses chosen to work with you, are selected with safety in mind. Horses are chosen for their temperament and ability to behave safely and respectfully
- All activities are conducted on the ground – there is no horse riding, and horsemanship skills are not the focus of sessions
- There will ALWAYS be an Equine Specialist present at each session, monitoring the horses and their behaviours
- During each session, at least one member of the therapeutic team will possess a Level 2 First Aid Certificate (for the benefit of clients and horses!)
- Shine has full insurance coverage for the services we provide to clients
