Horses are medicine – they help give young Aboriginal people the love and support they need | July Coffin

I I have seen horses calm even the most troubled souls, with cognitive and neurological problems, so that they can be completely still for the first time in years. I have seen the smiles of many when receiving the unconditional love that a horse can provide, the comfort and care that is so often needed, but that we sometimes cannot see for ourselves. The horses feel it.

I developed Yawardani Jan-ga (which means ‘helping horses’ in the Yawuru language) equine-assisted learning as an experiential approach focusing on equine non-verbal communication or biofeedback for emotional, cognitive and behavioral support. Yawardani Jan-ga can address individual factors related to cycles of disadvantage, social exclusion and suicide.

All children and young people need to develop skills to manage their social relationships, school, work and external interests. But for Aboriginal youth from complex family environments – often a legacy of intergenerational trauma – violence and distress can become normalized responses.

Using a range of culturally safe approaches, we were able to determine the extent to which equine-assisted learning can improve outcomes. Horses are naturally able to provide what is needed.

Their medicine is not always apparent at first, and part of the work we do is providing such opportunities for our young people to tune into these experiences. Sessions normally last about an hour. We offer a variety of activities as we take our young people on a journey with the guidance and feedback of the horses. The themes we explore range from the early work on calmness and regulation to boundaries, self-thinking, natural feelings and coping with life’s challenges. Each session is guided by the young person around what they think is good for them and we are guided by the horses’ responses to those experiences.

A young person may choose to lead the horse around the obstacle course. Using only observational language, the practitioner relates the experiences back and forth between the horse’s responses and the young person’s responses. We record this session through clinical notes, photography and video. At the end of each session we ask one integration question to summarize the most important feelings from that specific session. This is not written in a way that requires young people to fill out forms or check boxes. It is recorded verbatim.

We have many stories of this work over the four years of Yawardani Jan-ga and with over 2,000 young Aboriginal people. I have witnessed many phenomenal things. I have seen horses lying there as an offering of absolute support and reflection to little people who are tired and have no light in them that day.

Perhaps we look at mental health without the holistic lens it requires. We know very well that you can tell someone, for example, that he is important, that he is valuable, that he is loved; but if they don’t feel it – if it isn’t really what they think – then it is often short-lived and does not become who they are for long.

One of the nicest aspects of working with horses is their honesty. They reflect us, and sometimes you don’t like what you see of yourself. For example, while it can be difficult, rejection is a part of life and finding ways to feel acceptance is one of the struggles of adolescence. The trigger to belong can lead to risky behavior. Imagine if horses could bear some of that tension, that burden – those little pieces that we know are integral, but are often missed.

This work came at a high price. It’s hard – both personally and professionally. It is a heavy backpack to carry. I have wonderful family, friends, colleagues and employees who have blessed us with their time and energy over many years, and of course the horses. I was so impatient to just do the work, but I was constantly stymied because the funding cycles have us like mice on wheels. But every day when I get up and see the young people and horses together, this hardness disappears. We have managed to get started, set up the programme, hire our amazing staff and make a real difference to the lives of young people.

I hear comments of pure joy every day:

• “I just had the best day ever, and I mean that ever.” – a six-year-old boy.

• “Tell Elvis I said hi… Do you think he misses me?” – a 15 year old girl.

• “I don’t want to go back to school; Paris really needs me to stay here today.” – a 10 year old boy.

Imagine feeling seen, wanted, appreciated and loved all at the same time. Horses are definitely medicine – it’s a big dose of everything you need, from the inside out.

There is a lot of work being done on suicide prevention. What a sad state of life that we have to persuade young people to stay here, and that it is even a choice, this death over life. I feel a deep sadness for my own family loss, for anyone, for our little people who haven’t experienced much life yet. The story they were born into has only just begun, and yet they don’t want to stay. We must do more; things are not improving enough. We are getting better and taking action when suicide has occurred, but we need to do much more on prevention. Society needs Yawardani Jan-ga wherever it is needed. Everyone should be able to experience such unconditional support and love.

When I think about what our purpose in life is, I feel like my purpose has been to share horses. It took me many years to know this, but the horses were always there and showed me. I couldn’t see it before, but later in life, when I needed it most, I felt it. It is what I will make of my story for others and myself.

This work is the greatest privilege I have experienced besides bringing life into the world.

In Australia the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Children, young adults, parents and teachers can contact the Helpline for children on 1800 55 1800. Help for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is available on 13YARN on 13 92 76.