General News
6 December, 2023
Equine therapy opens up new options
SOMETIMES we all need to take a moment to slow down, reflect and enjoy our surroundings.
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) practitioner Sarah Coates has begun practicing at the Pullenboon South Equine Retirement Farm in Timboon with horse Cleopatra.
After enjoying generational love for and involvement with horses she hopes to share the joy spending time with horses can bring.
“In 2006 I learnt alongside a holistic vet who was teaching intuitive communication with horses,” Ms Coates said.
“He was teaching me how to receive those silent communications with horses.”
Ms Coates knows only too well how horses have the power to inspire and heal after one of her children was in an accident.
“One of my children had a terrible horse riding accident and that left her with a permanent brain injury,” she said.
“Her horses at home were what she wanted to come home for.”
Ms Coates then started training with the Equine Psychotherapy Institute in 2021 to further extend her knowledge.
She said after COVID there were a number of barriers to starting up a business and completing her training leading her to push the idea aside.
Moving to Princetown in 2022, Ms Coates then decided to set up Sea Horse Consulting and Learning and now operates just outside of Timboon.
“I’m here and I’m ready to take on clients,” she said.
EAL sees clients develop new insight and learn skills by interacting with horses.
It can assist in personal development, professional development and developing leadership skills in teams and individuals.
Ms Coates said when she takes on a new client they talk about what five goals the individual would like to achieve as a result of the sessions.
“I don’t do mounted sessions,” she said.
“There are over 20 different equine experiences that can be experienced in a session.
“It’s (EAL) for people to look at themselves and accept a range of emotions – there’s no good or bad emotions.
“It’s about encouraging the people to just be.”
Ms Coates said each session would be different and would be mindful of both Cleopatra’s and the clients needs on the day.
“In EAL, there are three types of equine experiences, focusing on inner, middle or outer zone awareness., depending on what is in the learning goals and what presents on the day,” she said.
Sessions could include feeding out the hay, grooming, leading Cleopatra and going for a walk.
Ms Coates said she got Cleopatra in August after her previous owner had died.
“Cleopatra spent quite some time in rehabilitation with Project Hope Horse Welfare Victoria, up near Hanging Rock,” she said.
“They brought her health and training to a level where she was ready to move on to her new forever home.
“Cleopatra had been ready to move on, for five months, before we met.”
To find out more about EAL and how you could benefit contact Sarah Coates on 0422 867 725.
