Merlin, Galahad and Lancelot may look like just a trio of scruffy sheep but their role in life is very important. They work as therapy sheep with their handler Grace Olson, helping humans to feel better. But how did it all begin? Let’s rewind 16 years….
Following an emergency caesarean, during which the anaesthetic wore off halfway through, Grace was plunged into postnatal depression and ptsd. After a few years of soldiering on, as mums do, she finally realised that she needed something in her life that would make her feel happy again.
“As a child, my favourite toys had been my farm set and riding school. So it dawned on me that I needed to be outside with animals. I had ridden as a child so I had a few refresher lessons and then I got a horse on loan. The horse lived on a smallholding with various animals so it was just perfect.”
After a year of riding, Grace booked herself a weekend in Wales at a mountain farm that specialised in animal therapy.
“It was life-changing. That was the piece of the jigsaw that I needed to get myself well again and it was the most beautiful farm. There were alpacas, goats and horses. It was such a mind-blowing experience that I came away a different person. All the years of guilt and sadness melted away and from then on I became a much better mother and I valued myself more.”
So how did Grace go from that experience to becoming a therapist working with sheep?
This story is from the May 2023 edition of The Country Smallholder.
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This story is from the May 2023 edition of The Country Smallholder.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
How to Buy a Smallholding in France- Long-time smallholder Lorraine Turnbull looks at the practicalities of moving to rural France
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