Hello, I'm Dashiani Navanayagam and welcome to The Conversation from the BBC World Service.
This is the show which puts women in the spotlight and allows us to hear the most incredible stories and insights from all around the world.
Now, humans have long had a close working relationship with horses, but in more modern times,
the gentle sway of a horse's back to the quiet discipline of mucking out a stable have been increasingly used to help people.
physically and emotionally heal.
In fact,
equine assisted services is now an umbrella term which encompasses a whole range of treatments involving activities and interactions with horses to promote better human well-being.
And my guests today both work in the fields of equine assisted therapy and learning.
Vera Landhelm-Fezan is from the Czech Republic and is president of the Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International.
She has extensive experience in paediatric rehabilitation,
focusing in particular on children from three months of age with a wide range of diagnoses such as cerebral palsy.
And Claudia Nicholson is an equine-assisted learning facilitator who opened Downmere Farm in 2020,
nestled at the foot of the UK's South Downs National Park.
There,
she prioritises working with children and vulnerable young people to help them to discover more about themselves,
develop new ways of thinking and build self-esteem.
Claudia and Vera, a very warm welcome to the conversation.
Hello.
Hello.
Caring and interacting with animals is becoming a more widely used tool to improve people's wellbeing.