Sunshine Pony Therapy offers a sensory experience with the pony, spreading the love and therapeutic power of an equine's presence and unconditional sense of therapy. They do though, read and become aware of how someone is feeling before the person knows themselves. This helps the pony offer closeness or distance and remain a calming influence on its close humans during time with them.
*Research has offered a wealth of benefits from pony therapy for a range of conditions. This includes, depression, anxiety, ADHD, Autism and mental health illnesses. It can help people to build trust, gain confidence, improve self esteem and practice empathy.
*Spending time with animals can reduce cortisol, the stress hormone, and increase oxytocin "the love hormone" both helping to reduce blood pressure and promote those connections.
*As an experienced horse owner of many years I can read the non-verbal behaviour of the pony, and share this with our clients, supporting them to recognise behaviours in themselves. I have been a special needs teacher for 15 years, and worked with the NHS prior to that. I have trained in CBT, Behavioural Experiments, Mental Health Awareness, to name a few, and have a Post Graduate Diploma in SEND.
*I thrive on seeing others happy and smile, and if I can make any sort of positive difference to a persons life, then that makes us smile too. I am very aware of the power of animal therapy, and rely on it daily, counting myself very lucky to have such a beautiful horse and pony with whom to share my time.
