Mane Chance Sanctuary: Home of the “healing herd”

During her acting career, Jenny Seagrove established herself as a charming personality. Through her charm and determination, she’s now helping the horses at Mane Chance Sanctuary.

‘’Mane Chance came about in desperate circumstances in 2011 when a friend rang to say she couldn’t afford to feed her large collection of animals, many of which she had rescued.’’

‘’It was one of those life-changing moments when you find a real purpose. Setting up a charity — a massive adventure.” She recalls.

‘’I called a friend who found Monkshatch Garden Farm, where the owner let us rent the 47 acres we needed. A year later, we were offered it for sale.’’ She revealed the hurdles she had to come across to set up this farm.

‘’I had to sell my flat in London and ask Simrin, who has been amazing, to chip in.’’ Philanthropist Simrin Choudhrie was pivotal in the efforts to set up the farm.

Gradually, Mane Chance has evolved beyond the usual norms of a sanctuary. James French, pioneer of the trust technique, joined the management of the sanctuary along with his partner Shelley Slingo. As a reiki master, French uses a trick called mindfulness; something he believes in develops a close relationship with the animals.

‘’When all this began, I knew the horses would need therapy,” she says. “I asked James French, who I had known through his work as a reiki master for 20 years, and who is a renowned animal communicator, to help out.’’

‘’It’s about getting the limbic system — the part of the brain associated with emotions and memories — of horse and human — in sync,’’ says Seagrove.

Seagrove, however, noticed that horses’ treatment was reciprocating. This led her to realise that horses are natural healers.

Kids and other people are being treated by this “healing herd.” Students under the Duke of Edinburgh programme, as well as kids from the hospice at Christopher’s in Guildford have undergone equine healing and noticed positive results.

‘’We had groups of children and volunteers here, some of whom had their own issues, and a rapport and trust was building between some of the horses with the humans who seemed to need them most.’’

Seagrove has played many brilliant roles over her career, but this is the most influential one yet.