What people say about us

Our Supporters

Speaking about the visit and the charity’s work, Sussex PCC Katy Bourne said:

 “It was a truly inspiring day joining Terri and some of her team at their beautiful location in Sussex.

“It was clear to see just how effective the programme was and how responsive the horses were to instructions as they were led with resilience and compassion.

“It is vital we have services that can provide those who are struggling, with less conventional options. We know if people can’t access support that works for them, they face a higher chance of experiencing social isolation and this can lead to them being more vulnerable to becoming a victim of crime or escalating their negative behaviours.

“I am delighted that my Safer in Sussex Community Fund can help organisations like Parkfield Equine Solutions and that we have such a wide range of inclusive and accessible support services here in Sussex making real differences and offering opportunities for positive change.”

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Testimonials

We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the amazing work you do at Parkfield. The environment itself is an aid to healing the mind, body and spirit and then your one to one expertise works wonders.

M has struggled for so long to try and reconnect to the ” outside” world and just the thought of going outside raises his anxiety to a horrible level. He is an introverted child that is desperate to “get back” to living his young life. His control is restricting food and sleep which has such a detrimental affect on everything else and has depleted his muscles and physical strength.

We had no idea if we would be able to get him the stables but were determined to try.

We cannot describe the joy these five sessions working with Sara and Alice{ the horse!! }  have given M. Your unique skills working with student and horse has given him courage that he can do amazing things by controlling his energy. M finds it so difficult to find the words to communicate so this non verbal training was so right for him.

These are a few of the ” differences” this time spent at Parkfield has given M. They may seem small but for us they were huge.

• He was standing “tall” and looking up and out for the first time for years. Even though he was exhausted physically and emotionally he didn’t give up and completed the week.
• He felt he could speak to Sara as she wasn’t intrusive and was helping him think about the future rather than keep dragging up the past. [ Sara was sowing positive seeds that we pray will grow moving forward}
• He started eating breakfast before we left as he didn’t want to feel ” ill and weak” when he was with Alice.
  On the fourth day he went outside of his house to play with his brother and 2 of his brothers friends for 35 mins { hasn’t done this for 2 + years}
• Just happier and even laughter.

We know we still have a long way to go but with continued help from Parkfield, Terri and Sara we feel we may have turned a corner with getting our beautiful M back . As a thank you for the amazing work they are doing I have put myself forward as a volunteer and look forward to supporting where I am needed in the future.

very best regards
J (Grandmother)

Being offered a place on the The Horse Course couldn’t have come at a better time for our daughter J. She had really struggled with her mental health with all the uncertainty and isolation during the Covid lockdowns, which had re-triggered her early years trauma.J has always had an affinity with horses and so we knew that she would enjoy spending time at the stables and that it would be calming for her to spend time there but this experience went way beyond all our expectations. It was an absolute joy to see the change in J’s body language in only a week and her mindful approach to the course was thrilling. Such a positive experience, such a special place. She has continued to refer to her learning from the course when she has felt unregulated at home and at school”.

In J’s own words:

Spending the week with Terri (and her lovely horses Alice, Dream and George) helped me to connect with how to feel calm and grounded. It helped me to focus on how I am presenting my body language and what number on the scale I need to be to be able to learn’. I loved it there so much that I’ve signed up to be a volunteer.

I just have to say how much I loved being with you this week.

I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity and it just was so amazing.

You are such a lovely woman and you, Alice and Dream really helped me.

You not only let me connect so much with Alice and dream but you also taught me how to stop and think and calm yourself before you do things.

This week has just helped so much

C

It was the first time in my life that I was so close to horses and ponies. I was a little hesitant and felt a bit awkward in the beginning, but thanks to Terri who have explained and taught  us so many things about horses, all my tense and anxiety were disappeared and I ended up falling in love with these wonderful creatures.  An absolutely amazing experience, a great time, with extraordinary and dedicated people.  Thank you a million, Terri!

G.

What a fantastic afternoon, I didn’t stop smiling.  Terri and Sarah you were so informative and handed over the belief that we can make changes in the way we handle our thoughts and emotions. I still picture brushing George, his beautiful eyes and soft coat when I’m feeling  anxious.  Being out in the fresh air, beautiful countryside and the feeling of being understood by these amazing creatures is an experience I want to repeat.  Thank you

D.

The Horse Course is a beautiful experience, and I’m certain would be beneficial to anyone, whether they realise they need a ‘reset’ or not.

On the surface it may seem very subtle and just nice to do something totally different, but personally I left feeling grounded, and on reflection, recognise lasting effects that I believe continue to improve my sense of wellbeing.

My main take homes were the pleasure of working with just the most gentle, trusting and majestic animals, learning to tune in to my personal energy has been invaluable and I continue to develop skills learned to recognise and control levels and projection as well as beginning to recognise in others, and finally, how interesting to get a new insight into personality traits of self and others and a new perspective to identify dynamics within a given team.

K.

What a wonderful experience.  I learnt so much from this course, not only about the horses but about my own emotions and reactions to situations.  Just to be able to take a break from the pressures of a busy and sometimes stressful working environment was a real treat in itself but to have the pleasure of working with these beautiful creatures and gain insight into my own emotions was a marvellously beneficial and therapeutic experience.     It helped to teach me to stay focused and not to get distracted despite outside influences and I have already been able to put some of this knowledge into practice in my everyday life.  I would highly recommend this fantastic course.

M.

Thank you so much Terri – it was a really interesting and insightful afternoon learning how horses can mirror and respond to our own emotions and stress levels.  Working in partnership with these wonderful horses, in such a glorious setting by the Downs, was a great experience, building confidence and really helping with wellbeing.

V.

In the Media

A lovely story about one of our previous participants: From The Argus

An article from Sussex Local about us