News
Our latest events, social media posts, and more!
See what we’re getting up to down below:
Our New lottery!
Play our lottery and provide life-changing therapeutic Horsemanship for children, young people, adults and families seeking hope. Your ticket offers them the chance to build confidence, resilience, and a brighter future through the unique power of horses.
Our first draw is on 31st March 2025!
Social Media
Like Our Facebook
The best teachers never stop learning — and neither do their horses.![]()
![]()
Hi, it’s Louise here, Founder and CEO of Devon Healing Horsemanship. Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending a full day learning with Alison Zuend, the top Parelli instructor in the UK. It was a chance to challenge myself and challenge Clips too — and what a lesson it was!![]()
![]()
We worked on a task called the Weave Pattern on a Circle, where I had to guide Clips around poles, weaving in and out. Sounds simple, right? But here’s the twist — I had to do as little as possible with my body while still being absolutely clear with my communication.![]()
![]()
Here’s where it got tricky…![]()
To get it right, I had to give Clips plenty of notice about what was coming next — not when we got to the pole, but halfway to it. Timing was everything. It wasn’t about doing more; it was about doing less, earlier. And when I finally got it right, so did Clips.![]()
![]()
Why does this matter?![]()
At Devon Healing Horsemanship, the children, young people, and adults we work with do a similar task — but we make it a little easier for them. They use cones instead of poles (because poles require more accuracy) and they walk instead of trot. But the heart of the task is the same: balancing calm assertiveness with calm neutrality.![]()
![]()
It’s a powerful tool for emotional regulation — teaching people to switch from calm focus to confident action, and back again. Just like I had to with Clips, they have to time their signals, think ahead, and stay calm when things don’t go perfectly.![]()
![]()
Why challenge Clips like this?![]()
Because if he can master something challenging, he’ll find the tasks he does with participants at DHH feel easy. This training makes him even more in tune with subtle shifts in body language, which helps him stay calm and responsive when working with people who might be feeling unsure or overwhelmed.![]()
![]()
I left the session feeling inspired and proud. Me and Clips are both on a never-ending journey of improvement — one small step at a time.![]()
![]()
If you’d like to see more behind-the-scenes stories like this or learn more about how we prepare our horses for their life-changing work with participants, visit our website or sign up for our newsletter. We’d love to have you follow along.
Calm, assertive, calm, assertive — sounds simple, right? But in reality, it’s one of the hardest skills to master.![]()
![]()
This young girl, who stopped attending school as she was struggling to cope with the demands of school due to autism, is working through one of our most challenging tasks: the Figure 8. The goal? To guide Mel the horse around the outside of the cone using calm assertiveness, then instantly shift to a calm, neutral state to draw her back towards the inside of the cones.![]()
![]()
It’s a moment-by-moment practice in emotional regulation—learning to lift your energy when you need to act, then drop it to calm the space again, all while managing your body language, position, and movement. This is emotional control in action.![]()
![]()
In this video, you’ll see a powerful moment of growth. At one point, Mel doesn’t respond as expected. But instead of panicking or giving up, this participant stays calm, adjusts her approach, and tries again with purpose and focus. This kind of calm persistence is the very heart of emotional resilience.![]()
![]()
It’s a skill she’s learning with Mel that’s already showing up in her everyday life, including her big recent milestone: returning to school.![]()
![]()
If you’d like to support more young people like this girl, visit our website to sign up for our newsletter or make a donation. Your support helps us continue to deliver life-changing courses that build calm, confidence, and resilience for children and young people.
"Sometimes it’s the smallest changes that lead to the biggest breakthroughs."![]()
![]()
This young girl, who is on the autism spectrum, was referred to us to help her develop the techniques she needs to cope with the pressures of a busy school environment. Like many children in this position, emotional regulation is a key challenge.![]()
![]()
At first, she found it difficult to complete this simple-looking task, known as the "Pizza Slice". It involves calmly walking from one side of the horse to the other without the horse moving. Sounds easy, right? But here’s the catch: unless the person finds a true state of "neutral"—calm in both mind and body—our horses are trained to follow them.![]()
![]()
At first, her horse kept following. But she didn’t give up. Each attempt helped her learn how to find calm under pressure. And then, something changed. This video captures her first breakthrough moment — her first successful Pizza Slice.![]()
![]()
But that’s not all. While completing the course, she returned to school for the first time since being referred to us. The calm, focus, and confidence she built here translated to her school life, marking a huge step forward for her and her family.![]()
![]()
Through tasks like this, she’s learned to shift from stress to calm, even under pressure, and each success builds her confidence, focus, and self-belief.![]()
![]()
This is what Devon Healing Horsemanship is all about—giving young people the skills to stay calm, focused, and in control in environments that often feel overwhelming, like school.![]()
![]()
If you’d like to learn more about our work or support us, visit our website or message us directly. We’d love to stay in touch—sign up for our newsletter and follow the journey.![]()
![]()
📽️ Watch her moment of success below!
A bit of Friday FUN! ![]()
🎅🐴 What’s Your Horse’s Christmas Wish? 🐴🎅![]()
![]()
If your horse could write to Santa, what do you think they’d ask for this Christmas? 🎁🎄 A shiny new halter, extra carrots, or maybe more time with their favorite humans?![]()
![]()
Let us know in the comments—get creative and have fun! 🐴✨![]()
![]()
P.S. Mel says she’s wishing for more time with her new friend Patrick The Pony this Christmas! ❤️![]()
![]()
P.P.S if you don't have a horse please share your horse related Christmas wish.
Such a great point! 💯 Imagine the impact if doing chores became a common part of early school settings and continued throughout childhood. Harvard’s 75-year study found that children who do chores grow up to be more successful and happy adults. 🧹✨![]()
![]()
It’s about building confidence, responsibility, and life skills—values we see every day in our work at Devon Healing Horsemanship. Over 80% of participants in our TheHorseCourse Restart program leave with improved self-belief and the tools to tackle life’s challenges. 🐴💪![]()
![]()
Just imagine how skilled and self-assured kids could be by 16 if this became common practice! ❤️![]()
![]()
What do you think? Should chores and hands-on activities have a bigger role in education?
This content isn’t available at the moment
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it, or it's been deleted.Follow us on Instagram
