Personal tragedy sparks creation of equine assisted therapy business near Exeter

Pam Siddall (left), owner of R.G Wellness and Care, has opened an equine assisted therapy program in Kirkton, near Exeter, Ont. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)

Harper McNab has spent the past year using horses to help her deal with the anxieties of adolescence.

“School wasn’t always easy for me, and you know, I didn’t always have the closest friend to be around. But when I came here, all the horses were just there for me. I didn’t have to ask them to be my friend, they were just there for me. Like, they’ve always really been there for me,” said the 12 year old.

McNab is exactly the kind of client that Pam Siddall wants to help with her new equine assisted therapy program, R.G Wellness and Care, located on a horse farm near Kirkton.

“It’s a therapy that doesn’t include a whole lot of talking. It’s just about being present with the horses. Horses have an ability to be very intuitive to how we’re feeling, pick up on our emotions and our energy, and how we’re feeling,” said Siddall.

She learned the power of ‘horse healing’ over the past two years, following the sudden passing of her father, after he took his own life on May 2, 2024. Siddall took six months off work to grieve the loss, spending much of that time with horses.

“Out of 45 years of being around horses, I never experienced what it felt like to actually heal with them,” said Siddall, who is sharing that horse healing with others now.

“This is great therapy for people that are struggling with grief, struggling with maybe self-esteem, depression, anxiety. It can also help with any type of mental health disorder, as well as people that have disabilities. I have foster children coming in here, and we’re seeing an amazing outcome, very positive,” said Siddall.

Her organization has a partnership with Huron-Perth Children’s Aid Society, a partnership she said she sees growing.

“I’ve reached out to women’s shelters. I’ve reached out to schools. I’ve reached out to Community Living, and respite care,” she added.

McNab says spending her spare time with horses has made her happier, and more centred than ever before.

“I love coming out here because honestly, it’s just so therapeutic, because I’m not a huge talkative person. I don’t like to talk about my feelings, but horses, they just are so understanding, but they don’t have words. I feel like it’s just so easy to be with them, and talk to them, because they’re not going to judge you,” said McNab.

“There’s nothing expected of you when you come to this. Nothing more than to come to hang out with the horses. It is called therapy, but it’s not talk therapy. It’s not your traditional therapy. So, it’s nice for people that maybe have tried the talk therapy and it’s not really working for them. I really act as a facilitator, but the teacher is really the horse. It’s not me. A lot of times I see where people just want to spend time with the horse and not even me.” Siddall added.