Horses Find Trust Again In Kinglake

A local horse whisperer program is helping bushfire traumatised horses regain the trust of people.

The Kinglake Horses for Hope program has already helped scores of local horses recover from the trauma of the Black Saturday fires since establishing itself in the township last September. The free program runs two days a week and provides one-on-one training between a person and a horse. Residents do not need their own horse to participate. Horses for Hope team leader Colin Emonson said about 20 residents had already taken part in the program. Mr Emonson said while the mechanics of the program was designed to help the horses, it brought benefits to participants. “The program works through enabling people to go through a process of establishing a relationship with a horse based on trust, respect, calmness and communication in the horse’s own silent language,” he said. {sidebar id=3}“For people who have experienced the trauma of bushfire, the program may be helpful by providing some time out.” Kinglake resident Jemima Richards completed the program in November, saying it had been instrumental in her own bushfire recovery. “It’s hard to find the words to describe the way I felt when doing it,” she said. “Usually there is 100 things rattling around my head, but when you do this you feel like it’s only you and the horse on the planet. “The trauma (of the fires) had hit me but after doing the Horses for Hope program I was able to tell it would be okay.” Horses for Hope runs on Mondays and Tuesdays at Quarters Run, Whittlesea-Kinglake Rd. Details and bookings: Colin on 5831 6157.