About Us
Our story begins with a horse named Phantom.
He was an amazing horse who was a complete gentleman with a wicked sense of humour. He was extremely intelligent and very good at reading emotions and feelings; he was gentle and understanding however if you didn’t have a clue, he was capable of giving you a run for your money. He taught us the need for patience and that things in life cannot always be rushed.
Over the years, through watching family and friends engaging with him we noticed how his behaviour changed to suit the approaches of the different people he came in contact with. If you were nervous then he was calm, if you were sad he could make you smile.
However if you thought you knew more than you actually did, then he wasn’t long in letting you know how wrong you were. His loving and loyal nature made everyone feel at ease and showed us all the benefits of being around horses.
Sadly, at the age of 28, after 24 years being part of Wilma’s family and Janis’s friend, he passed over the rainbow bridge.
We had discussed for many years the possibility of opening a centre to provide therapy and education using horses. From our experience of being around Phantom and his best buddy Basil, we felt this could be possible. We talked a lot about it but never took it any further as we always found some reason not to.
Phantom’s passing gave us the kick that we needed as we suddenly realised life is too short not to take the opportunity to help others experience what we learned from Phantom.
In attempting to find a fitting memorial we decided that it was time to follow our dreams and keep his memory alive, Phantom’s Legacy was born.
Our Staff
We are a small organisation employing only two full-time staff.
Wilma
Hi, I am Wilma, I have lived, worked and breathed horses for the last 26 years. They are my passion and a major part of my life.
I have over 15 years experience working in the education sector as a training adviser for young people aged 7 to 16 who have been challenged by adverse childhood experiences and latterly as an Equido Instructor. I also have experience of working with children and young people with additional support needs (ASN), ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)/ADHD and children with Autism. I have an HNC in Social Care, an SVQ 3 in Working with Children & Young People and I am a first aider. I am a fully qualified and insured Equido Instructor certified in equine enabled therapy. I am also a certified SQA verifier and assessor for the courses offered here at Phantom’s Legacy.
I am committed to enabling our clients to enrich their life experiences through working with horses.
Janis
Hello I am Janis, I am a nursery nurse trained to work with children with additional support needs.
Along the way, I have gained qualifications in Aroma Therapy, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Swedish Massage. This has influenced my holistic approach while working with people who require support.
In my professional life I originally specialised as a nursery nurse working with children with additional support needs. I have over 35 years working in the education sector with the last 15 years working alongside Wilma as an advanced support worker, supporting children and young people with additional support needs (ASN), ADHD, Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD)/ADHD and children with Autism.
In addition to this I have also delivered a variety of group work to people of all ages (Infant – 50+) and backgrounds. I am also a fully qualified and insured Equido Instructor certified in equine enabled therapy, qualified first aider, and a certified SQA verifier and assessor for the courses offered here at Phantom’s Legacy.
Jennifer
Hi, Jennifer here. I am a volunteer at Phantom’s Legacy. I have been working and riding for over 12 years I have previously worked alongside Riding for the Disabled as well as many other establishments.
I have always struggled with my own mental health and for years I found myself being more drawn to horses, I always felt they understood what I was going through and even if they didn’t I always left feeling like I was gradually getting better especially after meeting Phantom and Basil. Phantom taught me many things but mainly that it takes time to build relationships and trust.
He inspired me to continue studying and I recently graduated Heriot Watt University with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology. I have studied: autism, cognitive development, attachment theory, mental health, education, just to mention a few. Heriot Watt also allowed me to develop my love for alternative therapies (animal assisted in particular), as conventional therapy did not have the impact on me that working alongside horses had. I was fortunate enough to complete an extremely successful dissertation on the impact of Equido Equine Intervention on ‘at risk’ youth. This paper is in the process of being edited for publication and was selected for a flash presentation at the International Society for Anthrozoology Conference 2020.
Our Therapy Ponies
We currently have three therapy ponies but hope to rescue some more in the future.
We have Basil who is a rescue pony and was Phantom’s companion for over ten years. He is quite a character now in his early thirties. He is a brown Shetland cross and loves to be pampered and made a fuss of.
Nini arrived as a friend for Basil filling the gap left by Phantom. Nini is a typical Irish cob age 12 who came to us due to an injury which made it difficult for her to carry out the job intended for her. Nini’s nature is second to none and you could trust her with your granny.
In August 2021, we welcomed Kismet into our herd. Kizzy arrived after her own had made the difficult decision to rehome her, due to family circumstances and with Kizzy’s on-going medical conditions (cushions and EMS) her owner didn’t want her past from pillar to post. Kizzy is a fell cross, and stands at 14.1hh. Kizzy is more reserved than the other ponies but is slowly coming out her shell and fast becoming a favourite with clients at the yard.
