Spirit and Soul Equine Assisted Activity Centre is a start up not for profit organisation based in Derbyshire. We aim to provide equine assisted learning activities to individuals, groups and families to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.
All our horses have come from different backgrounds and have each have healed, emotionally and physically, meaning they are now in a place to help people.
We support people overcoming difficulties such as:
We aim to support individuals and groups of all ages and backgrounds. Sarah is particularly passionate about helping vulnerable groups and those who have experienced illness such as cancer having gone through this herself.
Sarah has owned horses for over 20 years and is a firm believer in natural horsemanship methods. Sarah has owned Trevor an ex race horse for a few years and Foxy joined the family in early 2016.
In May 2016 Sarah was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 27 and her outlook on life had changed. During her treatment and various operations for cancer Sarah's horses continued to the main part of her life (don't tell the oncologist!) and she thoroughly believes that her positive mind set throughout and feelings of wellness can be attributed to having horses in her life- indirect equine therapy. Sarah decided that she therefore wanted to help others who had or were experiencing life's difficulties.
Animal assisted therapy and equine assisted therapy is backed up by a growing body of evidence of this way of working. Horses act as a mirror and often reflect things that a normal therapist would not pick up on. Animals offer a safe and inclusive place for children and adults with learning difficulties and there is significant research to support the use of equine assisted activities with people on the autistic spectrum. Where previous mainstream offerings of therapy have failed animal assisted and equine assisted learning is proving to be effective.
Sarah has a passion for offering this to people experiencing cancer, whether that be therapy to overcome inner obstacles, help develop/ regain self once treatment is over or general interaction and a safe place away from their illness.
