Equine Therapy


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It's been soooo long since I've posted here......I promise this time I have a decent excuse! Technology is driving me bonkers. It's really not a good year for laptops and phones this year.

The good news is that I've still been taking photographs to blog about, so I can get them posted and blogged about now that our technology woes are sorted.

This photograph is of a new resident on our lovely acre here! She's a young Australian stock horse on loan from friends and we are loving having her here. Nature Girl was given the honour of naming her, thanks to our friend, who had previously referred to her as "Silver Mare". After many weeks of deliberation, she announced the chosen name for our very first equine friend: Britt (short for Brittney).

Mr Man is a convert to the joys of equines!





Despite initial grunty references to 'that thing in the yard', Mr Man (12), has become a huge fan of our horse and enjoys riding her bareback. When asked to nominate a skill to learn as part of home school, he suggested coding. When he learned that we wouldn't be allowing him to do coding for games, he quickly acquiesced to horse riding lessons.

Being a mature fellow, he often walks Britt around the yard for her extra feed.




I'm learning some extra skills, too. Before someone jumps down my throat for doing hoof trimming wrong, I know it's the wrong way to do it, but Britt had a big chip coming off her hoof. So for the blog, I asked Mr Man to take a pic!

 
Nature Girl is in her element!


My outdoorsy girl, Nature Girl (7) is besotted with Britt. She feeds her, always wants to groom her and of course, ride her. Little Leader (6), is a huge fan, too. The Hurricane cackles with joy when on Britt, but being a little fella, has said to us, "Don't let Britt eat me!".

I've always been a horse-lover. I grew up on five acres in a horsey area, although my parents couldn't afford to keep a horse, I was always keen whenever the opportunity to ride came up. There is absolutely no way I would be able to afford to purchase a horse of my own, so when our friends offered us Britt, I was overwhelmed.

For me, having a horse in the yard is therapy.

Each day, I have to shovel horse poo - it's quite physically demanding - and soak up some sunshine, fresh air. What more could a busy and strung-out mama need at the end of the day than some fresh air, sunshine and exercise? On top of that, a huge majestic creature to lean into, brush and chat to..... honestly, she's helping my recovery and weaning off anti-depressants more than I thought was possible!

It never ceases to amaze me that God cares even for the smallest of our needs.

"So I say to you, take no thought for your life, about food or drink, or about clothing for your body. Is not life more than food, and the body more than it's clothing? See the birds of heaven; they do not put seeds in the earth, they do not get in grain, or put it in store-houses; and your Father in heaven gives them food. Are you not of much more value than they?" 
Matthew 6:25-26

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