Victorian horse-riding school using cows to treat anxiety

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A horse-riding school in Victoria's north-east has begun using cows for therapeutic purposes. They were originally intended to keep pastures down, but now clients of all ages are seeing benefits.

Transcript

00:00 For Carl McEwen, these paddocks are a place of peace.

00:05 "You're going to come through the gates and are going to be relaxed."

00:11 The Melbourne resident was born with cerebral palsy and scoliosis and had a brain aneurysm

00:16 about four years ago.

00:17 He comes here to Euroa Horse Park as part of his recovery.

00:21 It's what's called Animal Assisted Services.

00:24 "And it does make you think you have to slow down.

00:27 They don't come up to your speed, you've got to go back to theirs and it does give you

00:32 a whole new focus."

00:34 "And they become more aware of their body language, their communication and the trust

00:42 and respect grows."

00:44 While people here report mental and physical benefits from working with the animals, experts

00:49 are still debating the clinical benefits.

00:52 But the sector is rapidly growing in Australia and psychologists say a national regulatory

00:57 board and best practice guidelines are urgently needed.

01:00 "The field is really in its infancy and a lot more research is needed."

01:04 "There are a number of countries in Europe that already have legislation in place that

01:10 stipulates how many hours of training and that sort of thing."

01:14 Wendy Coombe started non-profit Animal Therapies Limited to help promote the sector.

01:19 "I think therapy animal or animal assisted therapy has been used across a range of different

01:24 services that does not always include a therapist."

01:29 Before participating in any kind of animal assisted service or therapy program, experts

01:35 are urging the public to do their own research through a regulatory body such as the Australian

01:40 Health Practitioner Regulation Agency.

01:42 "It's on us to actually be really, really clear if we are providing therapeutic services

01:49 so that vulnerable people in the community don't become misled."

01:53 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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