Humans have long admired horses – as far back as our early ancestors, the horse was seen as a wild and mystical being, and the goddess Rhiannon was said to take the form of a horse. Their appeal has remained and art like this bronze Horse Sculpture by www.gillparker.com as well as books and plays are written about the love that humans have with horses. Even if you go back thousands of years, you can see caves adorned with ancient paintings of horses.

Something that more and more people are gaining an awareness of, especially during these troubled times, is the positive effect that horses can have on a person suffering from mental illness. Equine therapy as it is known, is becoming something that more and more people are benefitting from.

Learning to work with horses, understand their natures and build a relationship with them is something that is proving to be a hugely rewarding and beneficial experience for people suffering from mental health issues. Because horses are naturally calm creatures, they can work with a human who is suffering and respond well to their behaviour.

It is an activity that also teaches the person communication skills, boosts confidence and empathy and over time becomes more and more rewarding. It can benefit many people, particularly those who have issues with trust with other humans, or people who struggle to form human relationships.

It also helps to lower blood pressure, which then in turn can naturally lower the stress levels that the human is feeling.