Monday 15 July 2024 2:11 pm

I tried Wild West ‘horse therapy’ and learned so much about myself

Decades after loving them as a child, horse therapy taught Olivia Palamountain how to assert herself

“Daddy, I want a horsey,” demanded seven-year old me, imagining Famous Five-style riding adventures somewhere a lot more exciting than Earl’s Court. But my father is neither a pushover nor an idiot, so the closest I ever got to a trusty steed was an awkward pleasure ride on Weymouth beach and an enviable collection of ‘My Little Pony’ toys.

Fast-forward thirty years and I’m striding around the stables of Lucknam Park like the heroine of my girlhood dreams, ready for a lesson in horse whispering with Dawn Cameron, who has managed the estate’s Equestrian Centre for more than 20 years. Known as ‘Equine Connect’, the two-hour experience draws on an established method pioneered by cowboys in the Wild West, which enables you to bond with a horse using body language only – and have it submit to you as its leader.

The technique mimics how stallions coerce mares to join their herds in the wild, running them down to the point of exhaustion before taking the pressure off and gently inviting them into the herd. All you need is a whip and loads of confidence. Used to rehabilitate prisoners, inspire confidence in disadvantaged kids or alleviate physical and emotional trauma, at Lucknam Park, horse therapy has been applied to team building experiences and corporate away days as a way to foster emotional growth and self awareness – pretty progressive stuff for an old-school country house hotel.

“I’ve seen very powerful people have total breakdowns after the experience,” Dawn says, leading Little Rum, a nine-year-old mare into the outdoor school. “It’s a hugely impactful tool for change.” If, like myself and most Brits, you have next to no experience with horses (only 0.3 per cent of the UK population own horses and/or ponies), I’ll tell you what: they are massive, and I’m feeling nervous; tempted to have a meltdown before we’ve even got started.

I can feel myself growing in confidence with every turn. It’s exhilarating to build a dominant connection with the horse
Olivia Palamountain’s experience with horse therapy

“Horses are inherently kind animals,” reassures Dawn. “They want to work with you as their leader but you have to relinquish your baggage because they pick up on body language straight away. If you are not being true to yourself, they will spot it. Come in with an attitude? Forget it.”

With a length of rope in my right hand and a whole lot of bravado, I stride into the school as instructed, with square, open shoulders and my eyes fixed on Little Rum. Standing in the middle of an arena with a huge horse is a lesson in vulnerability in itself; I’m feeling more sub than dom and don’t reckon I’m fooling anybody.

“Start working the whip,” says Dawn. “Put the pressure on her.” I flick my wrist like a wand and Little Rum begins to run, gathering pace as I add intensity to every crack of the rope. She thunders around me like a tornado, while I get to work on enhancing my position as boss, safe in the eye of the storm. Next up is forcing the cantering horse to change direction, actioned by blocking her path with the angle of my shoulders – it actually works and I can feel myself growing in confidence with every turn.

It’s exhilarating to build a dominant connection with the horse, but the magic happens when I start to soften the pressure. As Little Rum’s adrenaline wanes, she displays the first signs of submission, craning her ear towards me and slowing to a halt. “Horses become submissive when they feel comfortable,” Dawn explains. “For Little Rum to ‘come in’, she has to feel softness – but if you want it too much, she won’t respond, so release any tension and let go of expectation.”

Trying to play it cool with a horse is even trickier than it is with dates, trust me. After multiple nonchalant takes, Little Rum begins to inch closer before nudging my arm and halting obediently behind my back in a charming display of solidarity. I’m genuinely chuffed to have won her over, but the real beauty of this experience is the opportunity to observe your instincts and body language in a novel and unusual way, plus it might be one of the only activities where it’s just as interesting watching someone else have a go.

What have I learned? I’m better at being bossy than I expected and I like whips – a lot.

The horse therapy ‘Equine Connect’ experience at Lucknam Park costs £195 per person. Room rates start from £295 per night, excluding breakfast.