We know that finding meaningful, engaging, and truly person-centred supports for participants can sometimes be challenging.

​

At Next Step Collective, we are proud to offer Equine Sessions that provide participants with a unique opportunity to build skills, confidence, emotional wellbeing and independence through structured, ground-based interactions with horses.

Our sessions are designed around each participant's individual NDIS goals and provide a safe, supportive environment where participants can learn, grow and connect in a way that often feels very different from traditional support settings.

​

How Equine Sessions Can Support Participants

Equine sessions can provide opportunities for participants to develop and strengthen a wide range of skills, including:

• Emotional regulation and self-awareness

• Confidence and self-esteem

• Communication and social skills

• Building trust and positive relationships

• Following instructions and routines

• Problem-solving and decision-making

• Sensory regulation and calming strategies

• Gross motor skills, coordination and balance

• Responsibility and independence

• Community participation and engagement

• Focus, concentration and mindfulness

For participants who find traditional support environments overwhelming, unengaging or challenging, working with horses in a calm, natural environment can provide a different and highly engaging way to participate in supports and work towards individual goals.

​

Our Person-Centred Approach

At Next Step Collective, we believe effective supports begin with genuine connection and understanding the individual.

Before commencing sessions, we take the time to get to know each participant and understand their goals, interests, strengths, disability-related support needs, communication style and what motivates them.

Our Equine Session program is flexible. We can tailor both the activities and session duration to suit each participant's individual needs, capacity, goals and funding. Some participants may benefit from shorter sessions, while others may be better suited to a longer program.

Whether a participant is working towards increased confidence, emotional regulation, social connection, communication skills, independence, community participation or simply building confidence to try something new, sessions can be adapted to ensure participation remains purposeful, meaningful and appropriate for the individual.

​

What Does a Session Look Like?

While programs and session times can be individually tailored, our general Equine Session program is 90 minutes and looks like this:

​

First 15 Minutes – Grounding, Breathing & Greeting the Horses

We don't rush participants straight into activities with the horses.

The first 15 minutes provides an opportunity for the participant to arrive, greet the horses, settle into the environment and prepare themselves physically and emotionally for the equine session.

Participants are supported to practise simple grounding, breathing and present-moment awareness strategies. They may also spend time observing the horses, noticing their body language and checking in with how they themselves are feeling that day.

Learning how to ground and regulate before approaching and working with a horse is an important part of our program.

Horses are highly responsive to their environment and to subtle changes in human movement, posture, breathing and body language. Learning to slow down, become aware of their own body and approach the horse calmly can support safer and more positive interactions.

Importantly, grounding isn't just a skill for the arena.

We want participants to gradually develop strategies they can use in everyday life—before entering an unfamiliar environment, during periods of overwhelm, when transitioning between activities, or when they need a practical way to slow down and reconnect with the present moment.

​

Next 60 Minutes – Equine Activities & Groundwork

Participants then spend approximately one hour participating in structured, supported, ground-based equine activities.

Initial sessions focus on getting to know our horses, including learning about their individual personalities, behaviours and needs and developing comfort and confidence around them.

Participants can then gradually progress, at their own pace and according to their abilities and goals, towards activities such as:

• Grooming and horse care

• Supported leading

• In-hand groundwork

• Obstacle courses

• Communication and connection activities

• Following sequences and instructions

• Confidence-building activities

• Problem-solving activities

• Activities supporting coordination, focus and body awareness

• Learning to recognise and respond appropriately to horse body language

Activities are selected and adapted according to the participant's individual abilities, disability-related support needs, interests and NDIS goals.

Our Equine Sessions are ground-based and do not include horse riding.

​

Final 15 Minutes – Debrief, Tea & Social Activity

After working with the horses, participants transition into a 15-minute supported debrief and social activity.

This provides an opportunity to sit down, enjoy a cup of tea or another suitable refreshment and reflect on the session in a relaxed environment.

Participants may talk about what they did, what they enjoyed, something they found challenging, something they achieved and what they might like to work towards in future sessions.

A facilitated game such as UNO, cards or another suitable social activity may also be incorporated.

While this is a relaxed way to finish the session, it can also provide opportunities to practise skills such as communication, conversation, turn-taking, decision-making, problem-solving, attention, social interaction and transitioning calmly between activities.

We can also revisit the grounding strategies used at the beginning of the session and encourage the participant to notice any differences in how they feel before and after their time with the horses.

 

Our General 90-Minute Program at a Glance

15 minutes – Greeting the horses, grounding, breathing and preparing for the session
60 minutes – Structured equine activities and groundwork
15 minutes – Debrief, refreshments and supported social activity/game

This is our general program rather than a one-size-fits-all structure. Session length, pacing and activities can be tailored to the individual participant where required.

​

Grounding, Breathing & Working With Horses

Grounding and breathing strategies are an important component of our program because they provide participants with practical skills they can continue developing beyond their equine sessions.

Participants can be guided through simple techniques that encourage body awareness, focus, present-moment attention and calming.

Working alongside a horse provides a unique environment in which to practise these skills because horses communicate heavily through body language and are responsive to changes in movement, posture, tension and behaviour.

This can create a meaningful opportunity for participants to begin recognising the relationship between how they are feeling, how their body responds and how their behaviour and communication can influence an interaction.

Rather than simply being told to "calm down", participants have an opportunity to practise concrete strategies and experience how changing their own approach can change an interaction with the horse.

Our goal is for these strategies to become skills participants can gradually draw upon in other environments and everyday situations.

​

Why Horses?

Horses communicate predominantly through body language and are highly responsive to their surroundings.

Unlike many traditional activities, working with a horse requires participants to consider not only what they want the horse to do, but how they communicate that request.

A participant may need to slow down, adjust their body position, communicate clearly, wait for a response, problem-solve when something doesn't work and try a different approach.

The horse provides immediate and natural feedback.

This can create opportunities to explore communication, patience, confidence, boundaries, self-awareness, problem-solving, responsibility and trust in a practical and engaging environment.

For many participants, their relationship with the horse can become an important source of motivation and connection, making goal-focused activities feel less clinical and more like a meaningful experience they genuinely look forward to.

​

Session Information

Referrals are now open for our Equine Session Program.

Due to the personalised nature of these sessions, places are limited.

Sessions are conducted at Mungar Arena, Maryborough QLD 4650, in a safe and welcoming environment designed to support participant engagement and success.

To increase accessibility, participant transport options may be available, including pick-up and drop-off support where appropriate and subject to availability.

Next Step Collective holds specialist equine activity insurance, providing appropriate coverage for our equine activities.

​

All equine activities are conducted from the ground under the supervision of experienced support staff, with participant safety, choice, dignity and wellbeing remaining central to our approach.

 

Referrals​

If you have/are a participant who may benefit from a unique, engaging, and goal-focused support option, we would love the opportunity to discuss how our Equine Sessions may assist them to work towards their NDIS goals.

​

To learn more, discuss a participant, or make a referral, please get in touch either via email, phone or by completing the referral form. 

​

​