“My 2 week placement at Healing/Being With Horses was so much more than I could have expected. Throughout the week different organisations bring children 
and adults with varying disabilities to use the facilities at Healing With Horses. These are free sessions and rely heavily upon volunteers to provide a safe environment for the people who use them. I got to work with young adults who had mild to severe learning difficulties, we groomed the horses, mucked out, watered them and then they had the chance to sit on and ride one of the horses in turns. I also had the opportunity to work with the children from the Tobago School for the Deaf, the children were more loving and compassionate than you could imagine and were desperate to show you how they could bounce on the trampolines, dig in the gardens, plait the ponies and how fast they could run round the obstacle course. It was so lovely to see them enjoying themselves and really working together to help each other around, particularly with children who also had physical disabilities.
Veronika and Lennon, the founders, are the most inspiring people, I learnt so much about their practises with the horses, how they go out most days and rake grass from the golf course to provide the hay, the amount of care and attention they provide for all the children. At the end of my placement, I was invited on a trek along the beach, bareback riding with just a head collar, followed by a photographer and swimming with the horses, walking through the mangroves and just generally enjoying going out with the whole herd.
I also got to take a trip across to Trinidad for an awareness event for one of the sponsors, we worked with the mounted police to provide rides for children, sold t-shirts and gave out leaflets. Whilst in Tobago we went on a road trip and also went out to try the street food. Back in Tobago we regularly went to the beach, trying local food, fully immersed in the local culture and also testing out the nightlife.
Overall the experience was fantastic and I would highly recommend it to anyone.”
