Horse Lagoon is a non-profit organisation which offers equine assisted therapy to persons in need. The non-profit organisation sustains itself by organising equestrian activities utilising, in part, horses rescued from horrific realities.

Albert Petrocochino, one of the The Alfred Mizzi Foundation’s trustees, recently presented the team at Horse Lagoon with a donation of €2,000. These funds will be utilised by the NPO to engage therapists who currently collaborate with them on a grand project that was planned for years and that finally took off last June. The objective of the project is to ameliorate the general well-being, and ultimately the quality of life, of children with autism through equine therapy offered completely free of charge.

Equine-assisted therapy, also referred to as equestrian therapy or horse therapy, is a treatment that involves a person in therapy interacting with horses. Equine therapy is beneficial to persons of all ages and is used worldwide to treat a wide range of mental health issues, addressing both physical and psychological concerns associated with a diagnosis. Medical professionals are increasingly recommending horse therapy to be incorporated into the holistic care of their patients.

The Horse Lagoon’s team will not restrict its services to children with autism. Its aim is to offer therapy to both adults and children affected by mental-health issues in the near future, with the scope to bring many more smiles for patients, their families and carers.

The team goes through great lengths to ensure that these giant, four-legged animals, that are capable of giving humans an immense sense of liberty and joy, are healthy and living happily in a natural environment together with their companions. In such a hectic and forever changing society, horses can help people in a multitude of ways and this is possible with just a simple touch.

Albert Petrocochino who presented the donation onsite at the Horse Lagoon at Bahar ic-Caghaq, concluded the presentation by saying, “The Alfred Mizzi Foundation purpose is to protect our heritage and environment, promote education and encourage social solidarity; and today, visiting a the Horse Lagoon and being moved by the experiences related to me by the parents of the children receiving therapy, I can truly say that, with the help our contribution, the Horse Lagoon will be fulfilling the purpose of our foundation.’’