Stories

At Coventry Equine Psychology, we know the transformative power the friendship of horses holds. We are in awe of horses like Casper – and the millions like her – who can teach a teenager about patience and compassion and give them confidence and roots. A sense of belonging and mattering. Thank you Casper.

This is what a young lady we know wrote about Casper when we asked her to describe the relationship between them. She said:

“I first met Casper on the 22nd of July 2014. I could tell by the look in her eyes that she was in need of some human affection. She was scared of me at first and wouldn’t let me touch her head or the top of her neck, so I spoke to her, rather than touched her.

Every time I was there, I would go and see her and give her a carrot before I began. After a few weeks of doing this she began to know when I was walking up the drive way. I would whistle to her and she would nicker back. She was happy and before I, or she, knew it we were the best of friends.

Quite often, I would sit in her paddock and talk to her. I knew Dr.Traci talked to her horses a lot so I thought I would try it as well. At first, I thought I was mad, but she was really good to talk to. I would talk about anything. The events of the day, friends, fights, boys…I have some trouble in that area and she helped a lot.

Sometimes I would be upset and just cry into her neck. She didn’t move away or stomp or anything. She was just there for me.

She is my rock. Casper is stable when I am less so. Over the course of a month or so, we really developed a love and connection. We would go for walks, play or just sit. Casper was looking better and better each time I saw her.

When I first started riding her, I was really nervous. Not because I thought she would try to get me off, but because I didn’t want to hurt her and ruin what trust we had and had worked so hard on.

Casper has taught me the true meaning of friendship. Before I knew her I thought friends would just come and go and never really say around for life. But I know now that this is in fact, wrong. She is my forever friend. And I am hers.

With her help, I have found friends (both four and two legged). She has brought me out of the darkest of times and made me cherish the light. I love her.

Casper never talks back to me but sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all!”