Set on 22 acres in Shelbourne, Equine Healing Centre Bendigo was established in 2019, as a place to help people to recover from trauma or for those suffering from emotional and physical burnout to practice restorative self-care, through experiential learning.

Owner, Tracey Kenny-Dive, studied at the Equine Psychotherapy Institute in Daylesford as an accredited Equine Assisted Learning Practitioner.

“There’s so many layers to it. It’s not just pat a pony,’ said Tracey. “It can be fun and exciting and people learn so much about themselves. People can be totally authentic, horses don’t judge.

“I’m there to facilitate a connection between the person and the horse. We usually start with breathing and grounding exercises, which regulate the nervous system, allowing the horses to be more attuned to the person.”

The program runs for seven, 60 to 75-minute sessions, exploring themes of self-regulation of the nervous system, boundaries, relationships and how our thoughts impact how we feel, our body language and behaviours.

Tracey works with adults and children, over the age of seven, and is able to work with people with special needs to interact with the horses.

She also provides communication skills for business managers and team leaders to assist in creating more respectful, productive workplaces.

“You never know what will happen,” said Tracey, “that’s a part of the magic.

“People cry and laugh and I’m able to hold space for them at that moment, to discuss how they are feeling.”

Equine Healing Centre Bendigo is a beautiful property, with wide-open paddocks for the two horses; Abby (who is 14 hands) and Rok (a former racehorse from Hong Kong, a massive 17-hand gentle giant) and two ponies, Ellesee and Bodhi, along with four alpacas, who sometimes join in the healing.

For more information visit: www.equinehealingcentrebendigo.com, or contact Tracey on 0476 127 294.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 22 July 2022.