Occupational Therapy News OTnews October 2018 | Page 44

FEATURE MENTAL HEALTH
Horsemanship for health
Lydia Helyer reports on a trial
project with Horsemanship
for Health, to compliment
patient recovery care
plans for patients who
struggle to build
relationships, due
to trust issues
L
angdon Hospital supports 111 people who, as
a result of their mental health issues, have had
contact with the legal system and need a safe
and secure environment that enables them to
receive a wide range of treatments, therapies and care to
help them recover.
Langdon has a large occupational therapy
department, consisting of qualified occupational
therapists, technical instructors, activity workers, sports
team and a Discovery Centre.
Horsemanship for Health is a Community Interest
Company. The primary aim is to promote lifelong
learning and healthy personal development through
interaction with horses and contribute to the growing
body of research into the health and wellbeing benefits of
therapeutic horsemanship and the connection between
animals and humans.
The organisation enables people to build their
confidence and find a sense of purpose and direction in
life. It has experience in working with people recovering
from illness, depression, trauma and deep loss.
The horses interact in a non-judgmental, curious and
responsive way and provide an opportunity for people to
discover new insights in behaviour, communication and
relationship building. resource to compliment patient recovery care plans
for certain patients in Langdon, in particular those who
struggle to build relationships due to trust issues.
The Devon Learning Recovery College provided
funding to carry out a trial period of sessions, which
commenced in May. Three patients participated in a
block of six 90-minute group sessions, which took place
weekly, accompanied by an occupational therapist, a
technical instructor and a support worker.
The outcomes of the trial were beyond our
expectation. There was 100 per cent attendance, the
patients followed direction throughout, and there were no
risk incidents. The occupational therapist observed that
the patients participated more effectively in mindfulness
sessions in this environment than in the sessions held
within the hospital setting, and that the patients were very
respectful and willing to try something new and unfamiliar
– both areas that these patients have had issues with in
the past.
The occupational therapist also reported that all
participants appeared to gain confidence, demonstrated
by them increasingly contributing to group discussions
and conversations, making their choices clear, improved
(more upright) body posture, and an increase in facial
animation (evidenced by photographs).
The organisation teaches people how to read horses
and how to influence horses by giving clear signals
through body language, energy and intention.
After attending an open day, the hospital’s
occupational therapists came to the conclusion that
Horsemanship for Health sessions would be an excellent The technical instructor had a fear of horses and
one of the patients supported her to overcome her
fear of going into the stables with the ponies by giving
her reassurance and encouragement. This ability to
empathise and support others had not been observed in
this patient before and his social history would suggest
44 OTnews October 2018