Working in Harmony
By Debbie
The Equestrian project has seen many changes this year, but we are now beginning to see some fruit for all the hours of labour that the team who work with the horses have spent. It has been encouraging to see the young people developing in confidence alongside the staff and volunteers as they care for the seven horses, grooming, feeding, mucking out and driving.
We now have four Shire mares at different stages of their training, and a new vehicle which can carry seven 
people and the driver. We are well on the way to one of our goals, being able to deliver eggs and produce around the neighbourhood. Tilly and Grace are proving to be the best pair to drive together; Reuben is pleased with their progress, they get along well together and their paces are well matched. May, the black mare we bought to go with Grace in colour, is not as easy to drive; she tends to fidget when she should be waiting, and rushes. She will need a lot of patient hours to get her working 
properly.
Holly, our older Dales pony, is very experienced at driving and some of our young people have been able to try their hand at taking the reins. Eventually we hope that some will be able to do some of the British Driving Society qualifications. Holly and Midnight are currently being “long reined” as a pair, prior to Midnight learning to pull a vehicle. They really seem to enjoy their work together, 
and watching them when they are out at grass, they are clearly well bonded.
Midnight was born at Crag House Farm and has been kindly handled all her life; she is always very interested in everything that is going on, and is very sweet natured and trusting. Sometimes a horse will come with quirks to its nature, developed earlier in life, which means that handling it is not always straightforward. Rather like the people who have come to Caring For Life for help and care, who 
may not have had a loving start in life, it takes time and patience to enable them to begin to believe that they are in a safe place where they can begin again.
It is very special to see animals that may not always have had the best treatment in life gradually coming to really trust and work well with those who handle them. It is even more special to see these lovely horses acting in effect as therapists for vulnerable people who are themselves learning to trust others. Relating to animals, showing them affection and 
developing a relationship with an animal is very often the first step along a long road to recovery for damage people and our Equestrian project is proving to be an “absolute winner”, as horses and people work together in harmony.
