What is a ReStart Equine Intervention?
​We provide the ReStart course at Full Circle Horsemanship using certificed facilitators of this method
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The ReStart course, is usually delivered in 5 consecutive days, working for approx 2 hours per day with 1-to-1 facilitator support.
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We teach, rehearse and repeat key resilience skills in an intensive and challenging, but fun way with feedback in-the-moment from specially trained horses. There is no discussion of the past.
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All sessions take place in action with the horses, there is no classroom content or talk-based therapy/counselling.
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Development of skills is embedded in work towards a horsemanship groundwork certificate.
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Tasks are guided by the facilitator and the horses are selected and trained to provide especially clear and easily observed physical feedback to participants, many of whom will not have interacted with horses prior to taking part in the programme.
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The methodological focus is on social/emotional shifts being made ‘in the moment’, in response to difficulties encountered.
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On the last day, each participant has a robust reflective session with their facilitator – looking at their progress in each of the areas of the Skills Star (below). Upon successful completion of the course, participants are presented with a certificate.
Core Skills
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Engagement (Confidence as a Learner)​
Enthusiastically taking on new challenges, pushing limits whilst also taking care of own confidence
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Responsibility
Taking responsibility for our own thoughts, emotions and actions
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Calmness
Having the habit of calmness and knowing how to create it in difficult situations
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Assertiveness
Able to be calmly assertive, without getting aggressive or upset
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Realistic Analysis & Planning ​Stopping to think before acting, making a realistic assessment of situations and planning accordingly​
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​​Focus & Perseverance
Working towards goals despite setbacks​​​
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Relating to Others / Empathy
Seeing the needs of others, offering care and support, feeling closely connected
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Communication & Language
Two way, respectful, assertive communications, having language to talk about thinking and emotions
Core Skills Star
The star shows the main areas we work on - at the centre of the star people are stuck in behaviours which are unhelpful. As they progress, they move outwards towards the points of the star. We assess progress by observation or in discussion with the participant - but always based on observations you have been able to make in session. By marking their level on each point you can join the marks and create 'before' and 'after' shapes.
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Each 'point' has associated horsemanship exercises/strategies we use to work on the desired outcome.
The star is marked up as part of the referral process, later as the basis for discussion of outcomes together with the participant and finally as part of the feedback to referrers.
Body Language (Non-verbals) Observation Chart
Created by TheHorseCourse with inspiration from Linda Parelli's work on "horsenality"; this tool was used by Dr Hemingway in a field study and is used as our primary case note tool and the basis of our Non-verbals Toolbox Trainings. This tool charts human behaviour on 2 axes: Fear to Dominance, and Still to Busy. Observing body language in oneself or others allows one to accurately assess emotional states; and distinct non-verbal strategies can be employed to help people find the green areas of the chart which are pro-social and functional, and minimise time spent in amber or red areas which are less functional and/or anti-social.
Over time this developed into a 2 hour stand-alone training programme for anyone - professionals and public alike.
We also offer a free fun 5-minute guide based on this material - download below and fold into a concertina shape!
Comfort Zone Chart
The comfort zone chart asks participants to map and reflect on their time during the course spent feeling comfortable (white), feeling confused (in the grey fog of learning) and the (golden) moments of learning. We also check whether there were any (red) terror moments.
Participants can then reflect with us on the learning process.
The slider bars are to compare the participant's mental and emotional state within a task firstly when it was not working and then when it did work. They usually realise, when they see it in this visual format, that being calm and focused makes all the difference!
Referral process
We accept referrals by professional services such as:
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Mental Health Teams
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GP
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Social Services
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Children's Services
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Schools, PRU's and Virtual Schools
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Troubled Families
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Offending Services
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Other Specialist Agencies
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Criteria for referrals:
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Unable to progress or engage with talk based services
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Age 8yrs+
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Difficulties with anxiety, isolation, mental health, domestic abuse, substance abuse, challenging behaviour, offending, problematic family dynamics, school refusal
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2 month post course follow up completion by referrer
For fully funded places, through our generous donors and when we recieve grants. We offer self-funded and part funded places, please contact us for more information.