Title: "Healing Hearts: The Transformative Power of Animal Sanctuaries"
Some experiences thought to be the most insightful include being able to do some hands-on work, such as lifting hay and grooming the horses. While it was a bit of fun, it allowed us to appreciate the dedication of the volunteers supporting the charity. Another part of the trip that stood out was visiting the beekeeper who provided fascinating information about how the bees work individually and together as a colony, as well as how important it is to preserve these vital pollinators.
The sanctuary can also be a place where people seek refuge. Horses are great healers. They understand our emotions before we can comprehend them ourselves and so people who have experienced bullying or suffer from PTSD can be helped along their road to recovery by spending time with the animals who too have experienced some of the worst of humanity.
A story that mirrors some of the true malice these animals have experienced is a foal we met. At the young age of six months, he was ridden by an 18 stone man relentlessly. Horses’ bodies are not usually wholly developed until they are around 7 years old; they can accommodate a person at 3 but only very sparingly. Chris intervened and liberated the foal, but his battle was not over yet. You could count every rib on his side; his body was so starved and weak that it took months for him to resemble somewhat of a healthy horse.
This story echoes the hardships of a multitude of animals in our community currently, ones that fell into the wrong hands and have to deal with the cards they were dealt. So, we believe it’s down to the people who are willing to fight, to try to rewrite their stories, for as Chris, the founder, said, ‘you can be clever and go to Mars or cure disease but we still need the simple people, the bin men, the civil servants and the people who just care. They are the ones who keep the world running.’
DGS Chapter’s visit to Spirits Rest was an enriching and enjoyable experience. Meeting with so many people made us realize just how much it takes to run a charity like this one, and how any support, however small and in whatever way, can make such a huge difference. We hope this article has been enlightening in making you feel just as strongly about this cause as we do. Dartford Grammar School has decided to support this charity and its cause. Money raised from the dumpling sale later this week will be donated to the charity, and awareness will be raised, both in the school community and outside.
