A NEW, unique program has come to Kilmore which is designed to predominantly assist Veterans and their families.
Called From The Horses Mouth, the program brings together the Heathcote RSL Sub-Branch, Central Church Kilmore and Seymour and Healing Hoofs and Equestique Horse Riding to provide therapeutic support for Veterans utilising trained horses.
Bob Menadue is the project manager, as well as a Heathcote RSL Sub-Branch welfare officer, and he says the collaborative project aims to engage with Veterans to encourage mutual support and new skills to manage depression and anxiety.
“There’s 130 people in the RSL, we have two churches, Central Church in Kilmore and Seymour. Between the two sites, there’s over 100 people there. All of them, in some way, shape or fashion, have put into this, and there’s Cheryl Forrest, our oversight in the program, who is a pastor. We meet monthly. Without all of that teamwork, none of it happens, without community,” he said.
“The teamwork side of it, without it, it doesn’t happen without the input of Samantha Grantham and the Heathcote RSL, and I’ve been the face of a bit of it, but there is so much that goes on in the background.
“I think that’s one of the big messages we want to get across too, without everyone getting behind it, it doesn’t happen.
“The RSL have been a bit of a silent partner in all of this, but they’ve been incredible at the same time. Bryan Linnell was a big mover a couple of months ago getting the word out about some of the more northern Veterans from here, and that gave us some impetus.”
Ms Grantham is registered with the Psychotherapy and Counselling Federation of Australia, and utilises her own experience to deliver the program.
“I have my own personal diagnosis of complex PTSD and found my own healing through horses and therapy. The work I do is through my own personal healing, wanting to give it to others,” she said.
“We moved from New South Wales down here a number of years ago, and I launched Healing Hoofs and therapeutic services, and have a grant with the veterans, so I’m grateful and honoured to work in the area.
“Horses are amazing in therapy because of their skills, as a therapist I could sit next to someone for six sessions, and not realise when they are smiling and they’re hiding pain underneath. With horses, I could put them in front of a person, and they don’t look at the smile on the face, they see the heartbeat and everything that’s happening in a person, so I get more information using horses than I could as a highly-experienced therapist, so it’s a unique and beneficial therapy.”
“Veterans don’t like room-based therapy often, it can be very confronting, but being out in nature with horses, we do one-on-one sessions, family days and groups, so it’s also a way for veterans to connect with other veterans and community which we try to do in this program as well.”
“We have six horses and three miniature ponies. I have brought three horses from New South Wales.
“All my horses have gone through training assessment in Healing Hoofs and the veterans’ program also did some extra training to ensure they are safe, and the horses are picked based on personality.”
The program utilises a four-week introductory group course, with private equine therapy sessions and family experiences, with private sessions, group sessions and family sessions all available.
The program is also government-funded for eligible registrants through the Department of Veteran Affairs, but according to the website, is also available for schools and youth groups, First Responders, NDIS participants and anyone seeking growth.
Heathcote RSL secretary Bryan Linnell said he was ‘proud’ to team up as part of the program.
“A lot of the success of the program has been due to Bob driving it. In every good organisation, there has to be a great leader, and Bob is that fellow,” he said.
“I’ve seen the success of this program. We have a hospital at Heathcote that has over 20 people in the long-term residents’ area, and there’s a few vets up there as well. It’s interesting to see that in the past, we’ve heard about dogs going into these areas, but we’ve never heard about horses, and the therapeutic nature of the horses, so it’s a great program, and I’m proud the Heathcote RSL is associated with it.”
More information on the program can be found at equestique.info
