Horses.. Great therapists and often life savers!!

The power of love, created by the equine society <3

The power of horses for 'Energy In' is incredible!

Non horsey folk will have no idea how needing to look after and tend for horses and ponies in all weather could possibly be helpful for the mind as well as the body. But going by the comments on a recent fB thread it's very clear that horses have helped people get through caring for loved ones with terminal cancer, divorces, break ups and even suicide.

It's becoming less of a taboo subject as unfortunately it's so very common, but we have personally experienced suicide within our family as well as hospitalizing mental health issues, and it has always been the common thread of our love of horses that pulled us through. Social media can be a menace and a direct cause of mental illness, especially in teens (we had 4 teen children at one point), but if used in the right way it can help hugely. The saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved' still rings true in todays society as it did hundreds of years ago.

In my mind, spending time with a horse with a 'kind eye' and a loyal loving attitude is the best therapy anyone can get. Our british culture stands us out as rather eccentric horse lovers, where other countries eat them, we will actually do anything for them. The more you put in, the more you get out. I believe there's a whole lot of love and good, honest and empathetic morals within horsey folk ENTIRELY beacause of horses.

Would love to know your thoughts..

Please email your story to alexgingell@hackup.co.uk with pictures and we'll celebrate Valentines Day this year with a selection of them being posted.