A few words about

How we Help

Your questions answered

What is therapeutic equine assistance & Learning?

This involves specially selected and trained horses and specialist staff, highly experienced in various special educational needs, particularly in autism. Lucy is qualified & trained in therapeutic equine assisted learning, counselling, mental health awareness, health and social care level 3, and first aid. TEAL staff have over 28 combined experience working with children with SEN needs, and over 18 years working with horses, mostly using natural horsemanship techniques. 

This is all delivered in a natural, non clinical environment. TEAL is based in a beautiful countryside location in Kent. Being in natural environment’s has been scientifically proven to improve people’s well being.  TEAL deliver therapeutic assistance to a wide range of people, such as difficulties with traditional schooling, special educational needs, poor literacy & numeracy skills, learning difficulties, behavioural difficulties, communication and speech, change established behaviour patterns, learn new skills, confidence building, reducing anxiety,  fine & Gross motor skills, concentration, relaxation, Increase self confidence, Raise self esteem, Improve communication skills, Seek a different approach in dealing with depression, 
 people in care homes with Huntington’s, dementia and other associated disorders.
All our horse’s are wheelchair trained so we can lead from wheelchairs around the beautiful farm and still be groomed and painted even to those with restricted  movement. 
 
We have good feedback from those that attend and have seen improvements in many area’s of development. please see our testimonials page for some feedback from our clients. 
Building Confidence, relationship, skills & self esteem

TEAL can help, using our horses and our specialist staff, build confidence, help relationship skills, friendship building, and help build self esteem. Horses are a herd animal, so relationships and friendships are important to them. For example, did you know that via therapeutic equine assisted learning, that horses could calm your heartbeat and match it to theirs? There’s lots to learn, and lots to be achieved in this wonderful and unique environment.

Sensory

TEAL can help with sensory learning too. The great thing about it is that this can be done in a natural, non clinical environment, with the horses and staff. Sensory learning in this way, is joyful, fun and gives a ‘feel-good’ feeling. For example, many children and adults have enjoyed hand painting the horses. This is helping sensory development, communication skills, bonding, and confidence. There are many different ways TEAL can assist with various sensory needs and learning.

Improving and developing fine and gross motor skills

TEAL offers many opportunities in a variety of ways to help children or adults who would benefit from improvement with fine and gross motor skills. By using our horses, our specially developed premises and various equipment, the techniques we deliver at TEAL are unique, enjoyable, and interesting. There is a variety of way this can be done. Our clients/parents/carers/children are able to choose which activities they like and enjoy, to build on these skills.  

Communication

We have a lovely, large colourful PECS  board to aid communication. A variety of PECS such as feelings, horses, grooming tools, equipment and more is available.

TEAL are here for you. We work within a non clinical, non judgemental environment. We welcome adults and children. This is a time and space for YOU. We offer a FREE meet and greet, so you can come and visit us, and discuss how therapeutic equine assisted learning could benefit you, your family member or friend. See our testimonials here

Each individual has a unique learning plan, with progress tracked and achievement’s recognised! We understand that each step is a huge achievement, children are rewarded with special TEAL certificates and sometimes a rosette!

Education

TEAL CIC ASDAN Accredited educational courses  

TEAL CIC has developed and written 4 educational courses that have been customised accredited by ASDAN to provide our learners with a pathway to work or volunteer within the equine industry. 

We are an alternative education provider that offer courses that range from part time to full time placements.

Teal is a small nurturing environment and specialise in working with children and young people with social, emotional, mental health, ASD and associated needs aged 11-19+.

There is a maximum of ten students per day.

Did you know……
TEAL is a  non for profit CIC.

We are one of only a few Therapeutic Equine Assisted Learning centres in the UK


We are always looking for funding so we can help as many people as possible who otherwise may not have the opportunity.

We now offer educational courses in equine based study’s and equine facilitator courses.  


We are a non clinical environment, we believe this helps children engage and improve in a fun way as opposed to a clinical environment. 

​  No referral needed! Open to everyone – no upper or lower age limit

Fun horse facts! Amaze your friends with your equine knowledge 

  1. Horses can sense your heartbeat from 4.5ft away
  2. Fastest recorded speed of a horse was 55 MPH
  3. The horses eye balls are bigger than any other animals
  4. The average horse produces 2 Tonnes of manure a year
  5. A new born foal can run with in 2 hours of birth
  6. Horses Teeth occupy more room in their head than their brain
  7. 60% of a horses weight is carried on their front leg
  8. A horses memory is thought to be better than an elephants, so what an Elephant forgets a horse remembers
  9. The average horse drinks 6-12 gallons of water a day
  10. Horses use their whiskers to explore and identify things
  11. Horses breath though their noses
  12. Its has been clinically documented that being around horses changes human brain wave patterns
  13. Horses are naturally empathetic, the members of the herd feel what is going on for the other members of the herd
  14. The Greeks documented the horses therapeutic value in 600BC
  15. French physician Cassaign concluded in 1875 that equine therapy helped certain neurological disorders
  16. Horses can feel a fly land on a single hair
  17. The horses entire body is as sensitive as a humans finger tip
  18.  Horses can react to pressure that is to light for a human to feel
  19. Research shows that horses have a need for physical contact just as humans do
  20. without social contact a horses will be stressed
  21. Sir Winston Churchill once said “there is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man”