We went to the County Show on Saturday. It’s run by the Young Farmers but, while it’s primarily an agricultural show, there is much of interest to people who aren’t involved in farming. We bought from the stalls a big container of olives – the best I’ve ever tasted – some cheese, some gluten-free muesli and some local cider. There was a display of enormous modern farm machinery, a collection of vintage tractors, which seem tiny compared to today’s models, and of vintage cars. The most popular displays, however, were of livestock.

This area is mainly arable, so the livestock was limited to those from farms who keep animals mostly to look pretty in the fields, or who breed especially for showing. There were miniature Shetland ponies, a variety of sheep and goats, some lovely highland calves, with their horns just growing and with the baby fuzz still on their coats where the adult hair was coming through. And there were two Suffolk Punch horses.

Suffolk Punches are the smallest of the heavy horse breeds, standing between sixteen and seventeen hands high and weighing about a ton. They are always a solid golden chestnut colour and have clean legs rather than feathered feet like shire horses. Like most heavy horses, they have gentle natures and those we saw on Saturday are used as therapy horses for children.

There is something about the gentleness of these huge animals that seems to have a calming effect on children with special needs. Parents often say they can’t believe the difference it makes to their children on the days they have spent time with these golden giants.

I can well believe it. Twenty odd years ago, owing to a flood in our home, we found ourselves living temporarily in a farmhouse with stables. The stables were rented out to a breeder of Suffolk Punches, and I often found myself in there feeding the horses apples and just spending time with them, breathing in their pungent smell and feeling their calm flowing into me. I was working in London at the time and needed that calm.

It's not just horses that are used as therapy animals. At my daughter’s university, there are regular visits from therapy dogs. Her favourite is a huge golden retriever who absorbs pats like sunshine, panting gently and leaning against the legs of anyone who gets close to him. Being with him just makes the students feel better.

A couple of my friends who suffer from depression find great solace in their cats. Cats can make great nurses, sitting on the lap of their human – I won’t say owner, as cats are never owned, but only served – and purring. It has been proven that the sound of a cat purring has a calming effect on anxiety. I know from past experience that a cat’s fur is a great absorber of tears.

Have you found that being with calm animals has a good effect on your own anxiety and depression? If so, please tell us about them.

Mary

A Moodscope member