Our mission: To provide equine assisted interventions that support young people's mental health wellbeing, learning and growth through therapeutic and transformative opportunities with horses.

Who do we work with?
We can provide a safe, non-judgemental environment with horses, for children aged 10 years and upwards who are struggling in main stream school, suffering with anxiety and stress, high functioning ASD, ADH, dyslexia and/or other learning or mental health difficulties, or young people who are just very sensitive.

We work with young people who are disadvantaged, vulnerable and excluded, suffering from trauma, attachment issues and/or adverse childhood experiences (ACES). And other social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.

We also work with young people who are not in education, employment, or training.

Children and young people come to us privately though their parents and/ or their carers or through Social Services. At the moment we are mostly working with young people who are struggling in main stream school, and often those that fall between the gaps when it comes to getting the right help because they are high functioning.

How we work?
Our one-to-one sessions are a therapeutic way of engaging people who are disadvantaged, vulnerable and excluded. The horses skills they learn are all skills which can transfer forward into participant everyday lives.

Awareness with Horses offers a range of professionally facilitated equine assisted interventions which offer therapeutic and transformative opportunities through awareness and engagement with horses.

Please note we do not offer horse riding, all our equine assisted interventions happen with ones feet firmly on the ground.

Awareness with Horses philosophy and way of working
Our aim is to support well-being and growth, in order to develop potential and skills which transfer forwards into peoples everyday lives.

Our one-to-one sessions are always tailored to the learning and therapeutic needs of each individual attending. During a programme, course or session participants are lead towards success and positive outcomes in the tasks they do with the horses, and through the honest non-judgmental feedback the horses give they gain skills and knowledge, and build calmness and confidence. This is particularly helpful for young people who find sitting down and talking about their challenges difficult. Horses are natural teachers of calmness and self awareness, and it has been scientifically proven that just being around horses and building a relationship with them can bring about calmness and feelings of wellbeing.

During a session participants become involved in various activities with the horses and the learning and therapeutic value is in the experience. The premise is that by being in a completely different environment and engaging with horses, participants find new pathways for learning and building relationship that may not always be possible in their everyday environment.

The horses give accurate feedback through their responses as the participants learn to engage and build a relationship with the horse. The horses feedback may also help the client become more conscious of behaviours they have, both those that are positive, and ones that are negative.

A growing desire to work with the horses can help with motivation and engagement.

Participants take what they have learned, for example how to build rapport, develop emotional intelligence and healthier coping strategies into their everyday lives.

Outcomes include:
• Improved mental health and wellbeing
• Reduced social isolation
• Better engagement and motivation
• Reduced levels of stress and anxiety
• Better able to develop new skills
• Improved confidence and self esteem
• Better understanding of self and others
• Better able to express feelings and emotions
• Reduction in depression and negative thoughts
• Improved communication skills
• Better able to participate in group activities
• Become more physically active
• More likely to continue to engage in nature based activities
• This can also help with improved educational attainment rates and employability.

How much does it cost?
Our normal break even rates are:
One-to-one session: £60 for 90 minutes and then £15 for each extra half an hour if the client needs a longer session.

Please note: Even with the above prices at the moment we are running at a loss but as a non-profit social enterprise we make up the difference from receiving funding, donations, and any profit we make on our business and adult sessions, courses and programmes. Because of this we can sometimes offer bursaries to young people who couldn't otherwise afford the prices above - see below.

Bursaries and funding
Through donations and funding we are able to work with young people who otherwise wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to come by offering bursaries. In addition parents and/ or carers, charities and youth services can sometimes afford to raise some or all of their own funding. We are always willing to support this by writing reports to help you get finance.

For more information contact Sue Blagburn
Phone: 07831 865259
Email: awarenesswithhorses@btconnect.com