Equestrian Life Magazine
Press Release - via Racing Victoria
Link to article here
While hundreds of thoroughbreds will pound the turf at racetracks across Victoria this Easter long weekend, Horses For Hope will be putting a couple of former gallopers to work in a completely different setting.
Horses for Hope is a unique equine facilitated therapy program operating out of Shepparton and Kinglake that has a knack for utilising the skills of retired racehorses and thoroughbreds which never made the track, as well as other breeds, to assist individuals dealing with extraordinary circumstances in their lives.
The innovative program pairs ‘damaged’ horses, including thoroughbreds often considered unsuitable for racing and post-career pleasure riding pursuits, with individuals.
Horses For Hope director Colin Emonson said the program, which encompasses elements of the renowned Join Up method, had proven successful in cases where more conventional therapy options had failed.
“We use troubled horses to work with the troubled people,” Emonson said.
“To sit and talk to people about their problems is sometimes too difficult so they’ll often come to us and get in the horse yard with us and that breaks down many of the barriers.
“It’s been really successful and works really well with a lot of people.
Emonson said thoroughbreds, particularly those that had difficulty dealing with the rigors of life in a racing environment, were valuable to the program and had as much to gain as the program’s human participants.
“We work with prisoners, we work with young people that have experienced trauma and abuse, and we spent three years working with bushfire recovery victims who simply couldn’t front up to a counselor.”
“Those (horses) that come off the track and they’re doing OK and their attitude is alright, they can easily go on to another life whereas a horse that has some difficult attitudes because of their experience, they’re the ones that we are interested in.
“We’ve worked with horses out of the racehorse outplacement program and we’re constantly on the lookout for horses that need assistance.”
More information on Horses For Hope is available here.
Tune into the ABC’s weekly Compass program at 6:30pm on Sunday to watch a feature profile, ‘Horse Power’, on Emonson and the Horses For Hope program and also stay tuned to upcoming editions of Inside Racing magazine for further information.
