Horses are medicine – they’re helping give young Aboriginal people the love and support they need | Juli Coffin
Their medicine is not always obvious at first, but through the horses of Yawardani Jan-ga equine assisted learning, thousands of young people have felt seen, wanted and loved
I have seen horses soothe even the most troubled of souls, with cognitive and neurological issues, to be able to be completely still for the first time in years. I have seen the smile of many from receiving the unconditional love a horse can provide, the comfort and nurturing that is so often needed but that we sometimes can’t see ourselves. The horses can feel it.
I developed Yawardani Jan-ga (which means “horses helping” in Yawuru language) equine assisted learning as an experiential approach focusing on non-verbal communication or biofeedback from horses for emotional, cognitive and behavioural support. Yawardani Jan-ga can address individual factors linked to cycles of disadvantage, social exclusion and suicide.
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