Mane Chance Sanctuary

Our Shetland herd has grown…we recently welcomed Dinky and Mouse to Mane Chance.

These Shetlands had previously been rescued by two ladies from a field where they had been left to fend for themselves by their previous owners. The two ponies had been once used for pony parties, so were very comfortable with people, but once the business closed, they were placed in a field and neglected. Until they could find them a forever home, the two ladies took them in and started to bring them back to health - they had not had a good diet and their hooves had not been trimmed for a long while so had grown out like slippers – there was a lot to do to get them right again.

After they arrived at Mane Chance, we continued the work to get them well again and their hooves were soon back in good shape.

Dinky is a very sociable pony, both with other horses and with people, and she quickly settled into our community work. She is so gentle that even the smallest child or the most inexperienced handler can walk with her calmly and happily – she loves just being with humans! We are so pleased that she came to us as she is such a great addition to the Shetland team and are thrilled to be able to show her love and kindness once more – what’s even more brilliant is that she gives us so much back too by helping us welcome our visitors to the Sanctuary – it’s a real success story.

Mouse was initially very quiet and hid behind Dinky, obviously taking comfort in her friend being her protector. But that was until she met Rocky – they have struck up the most amazing friendship and spend most of the day together, playing and mutually grooming – it’s a very sweet friendship. Mouse does love human interaction, and from the moment she arrived, she has enjoyed spending time with our equine and community team, loving lots of fuss – it’s not unusual for Mouse to be involved with our community sessions and both she and our visitors love it!

“When it was suggested that some of our more vulnerable students may benefit from involvement with Mane Chance, I was not sure how impactful this would be. It quickly became clear that the project was having a beneficial effect on students who faced a range of challenges. Those students who have attended the project have found a new confidence For some students the reduction in anxiety levels is remarkable. After a year of involvement with the project I am utterly convinced of the benefits to our students. The positive impact on some of our young people has been nothing less than transformational.” Headmaster of students attending the Chance2Be programme.

Our Chance2Be project is a mindfulness-based programme using the human-horse connection to reinforce the teaching. Aimed at young people who have been referred for their mental health condition as an early intervention, Chance2Be has been running since 2017. By helping children before their problems become too ingrained resulting in the young person going on a downwards trajectory into serious mental health problems, we hope to increase the opportunities available to them and enable them to reach their full potential.

“2020 was tough for everyone due to Covid changes but for our family, coming out of 6 months home schooling and a return to Year 8 for our daughter, brought more challenges than we had expected.

Our daughter has had a number of social anxieties for a few years, but we thought these were just growing up and ‘with experience comes confidence’ stages. But a few weeks before returning to a new year and Year 8, we found her struggles were more real than just a few “I don’t want to go back to school” comments we’d heard over the last few weeks.

After one particular incident, we realised this anxiety was more than just a feeling, and was now affecting her, her thoughts and her actions most days.

Her return to school was sporadic.

Evenings before bed involved tears and “I don’t want to go tomorrow” which frustrated all of us, and often continued first thing upon waking, often leading to anxiety and panic attacks which stopped her being able to attend school days.

A few weeks into the term, and via some help with the school welfare officer, she was selected for a slot to attend Mane Chance for a 9 week programme. Her usual questions around “What if….” Came up about the course, and with continued anxiety she attended her first few sessions on a Wednesday afternoon.

She loved it immediately, and it was great to pick her up from school, after the sessions, with a smile on her face, and tales of what she had been up to - a lot more than we would get on usual ’school days’.

Through my work, I’m fortunate enough to have studied and implemented mindfulness techniques to draw on their benefits, and whilst I spoke and used these with my daughters, it’s not always something they will implement, having been told via their Dad!

However, having the same kind of information and topics talked about at Mane Chance, further reinforced the message, and she started to listen and understand.

These sessions combined with the enjoyment and interest of the horses (something she’s never been interested in the past!) and the caring nature of all the staff, has helped to bring out a more confident side in our daughter which has not only made her life easier, but ours as parents.

It’s horrible to not feel you can help your own child immediately, when they have mental health struggles and worries, and this has a huge knock on to our family stress levels and concerns of course.

But to see her enjoyment of these sessions, the stories she comes home with has made a real difference to her mood and our family circle.

So much so, that combined with our family work and some counselling sessions, she has gone from being off School 1-2 times a week consistently, to having 2 days off in the last 4 weeks, and I’ve noticed a real change in her confidence and overall demeanour.

She SO looks forward to Wednesdays and Mane Chance, not just on the Wednesday morning, but as part of her mindset when starting a week - I know she will miss the sessions and the staff there now her course has finished, but I 100% KNOW she will have memories that have not only helped her now, but will help her over the next few years, so thankyou ALL not just from her, but our whole family in a time when we felt hugely under pressure and helpless to help her - you’ve truly made a REAL difference in our lives”

Dad of a Chance2Be Student