New move for Meagan with equine therapy clinic

Meagan Chivers is known and loved throughout the Northern Midlands where she’s worked for the past five years as a youth mental health worker during the week before switching to her cowgirl alter-ego as an up-and-coming roper and barrel racer on the Tasmanian rodeo circuit on the weekends.

Now the 42-year-old from Mt Seymour, near Oatlands, is combining the two most treasured aspects of her life to offer equine assisted therapy to those who need something “a little bit magic” to assist with life’s hurdles and mental health problems.

Still working with the Royal Flying Doctor Service as a mental health team leader, Meagan has set aside a full day every week for a new private practice at her property, Pinecrest Farm.

She said she’s long thought about the venture, recognising how important horses have been in her own life and the healing influence she has experienced.

“I’ve struggled with my own stuff, and horses have helped me gain my confidence alongside other things - there’s no judgement there,” she said.

“I remember someone asking me back when I was working for Relationships Australia, if I had unlimited money what would I do, and I said I’d really love to get back into rodeo and provide counselling with horses.

“And realistically at the time, the $12,000 required to do the certification course for equine therapy was restrictive, but I’ve achieved that now.”

Having spent a decade making boots at Blundstone, driving and cleaning for Rentokil and later working at Mood Food Claremont and Kempton, Meagan eventually turned her life around by taking on a university degree at age 32 and graduating as a counsellor.

Working for RFDS Tasmania has further cemented her ability to connect to people on all levels, she loves working in rural communities where her warm smile and self-confessed daggy, down-to-earth personality is always welcome.

But another shift in her goals came when one day at a barrel racing day, Meagan witnessed a young boy with disabilities wander over from a nearby cricket field and approach her horse which was tied up to the float.

Meagan asked if he would like to pat Digger, noticing that the boy’s hands were locked up tight.

Digger dropped his head down low and the boy’s fingers uncurled as he put his hand between Digger’s eyes in a moment of what she described as “pure calm where they were just totally connected, it was deeply moving”.

“That was when I knew I could do more than just traditional counselling.

“I could potentially open a door to a different type of mental health support with the help of my horses.” 

Denny is a 14-year-old buckskin quarterhorse stockhorse cross who competes in jackpots and roping at rodeos one day and next and “chills out” with clients.

Another equine “co-facilitator” is Digger, the 10-year-old grey quarterhorse thoroughbred cross, who is “super-reliable at stockwork and gathering sheep in the high country and just so beautiful and quiet with clients”.

“The horses can also provide an outlet to process feelings and emotions that we sometimes wouldn’t be able to communicate with another human”.

For information or an appointment, Meagan can be contacted at Meagan@pinecrestfarm.com.au or 0421 573 295.