A local company is using horses to help tackle mental illness.

Heart Reins is an organization located on the Iron Horse Farm, just outside Singhampton.

Diana Ladyshewsky is a Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning (F.E.E.L) practitioner and a horse breeder.

Her partner Hilda Keskin is a social care counsellor and certified equine connection practitioner.

Ladyshewsky said they work with a variety of clients, including those with mental health issues, post-traumatic stress, anxiety and even people with autism.

She said working with horses allows people to gain insight into their own strengths and challenges.

“We work with horses to open up the heart with people if they’re having issues,” she said. “When you’re around horses, you do feel different. It’s magnificent, it’s huge, it can be frightening, it can be welcoming.”

Ladyshewsky said the horse can detect a person’s heart rate, sometimes from up to 20 feet away, and can detect if the person is aggressive or if there is anxiety.

“They can find out if you’re living in your ego or living in your authentic self,” she said. “You can’t fake it with the horses.”

She said every program is tailored to the individual, but they learn to read the horse’s body language, how to feed the horse and in some cases progress to riding the horse.