David Caygill pictured during a demon at the Eagala in Bolgerstown, Barntown. Pic: Jim Campbell

IN THE modern world, we are all destined to go through tough times and require help from time-to-time. While there are many mainstream and traditional ways to seek help, a new facility on the outskirts of Wexford town is combining tradition psychological therapies with the meditative power that animals can have on us.

At Bolgerstown Stud, just a few miles from Wexford town, 17 horses live in a herd and as naturally as horses in the wild might do. Their soul purpose is to provide a calm, soothing and healing companion for those dealing with psychological issues under the auspices of EAGALA – the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association.

Last week, Lynn Thomas from Utah in the US visited the yard where local psychologist Jessica Dubois, and certified horse handler Philip D’helst work as a team with local people and organisations.

The event last week was a demonstration of what EAGALA does and also a training day for those practicing the model, with the founder of it.

Jessica explained that Ms. Thomas, herself a psychotherapist, had been very interested in how other factors could be used to assist people outside of standard therapy. This lead her to horses and she began to develop the model in use today.

“We work as a team. People delivering the model must already be fully qualified either as horse handlers or as psychologists. Then we work together with the horse and the client. Our client base is very wide and general.

“But the therapy is particularly good for people who have suffered trauma or young people who are perhaps blocked or refusing to talk about their feelings. For some unique and magical reason, the horses can connect with a person’s inner emotions and that person can talk about their emotions then through the animal by projecting their thoughts and feelings on it. It’s a safe way for a person to express their feelings without even knowing they’re doing it.”