Taunton horse ‘saved my life’ after mental health struggle

She started making regular visits to a riding school near Taunton – and there she met Maverick, who finally helped her to see a future outside of hospital.

Every time she was going riding, she said she had something to look forward to – and she had not had something to look forward to for many years.

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“If I was having a bad day on a Monday, say, I’d be like ‘I’m riding Maverick in two days, so I’m not going to mess it up’,” she said.

Maverick is not an easy horse to ride, but it is his “sometimes grumpiness”, which Ms Lunt said she loves about him.

The affection between the pair is palpable, with his ears perking up cheerily when Ms Lunt comes near.

“I’d often come up here and be in a bad mood or struggling – then after a couple of hours I’d be fine,” Ms Lunt said.

“It kind of saved my life to be honest. It’s what I want to do with my life now.”