Horses used to help drug addicts

Patients learn how to communicate with the horses

An innovative drug and alcohol programme using horses is being trialled at a hospital in the Borders.

Recovering addicts at the Castle Craig Hospital are taking part in treatment known as equine-assisted psychotherapy.

Patients are encouraged to carry out simple tasks, which require them to successfully communicate with a horse.

The programme is said to help drug addicts and alcoholics understand there are no instant solutions to their problems.

The horse work complements a 12-step recovery programme, based on total abstinence.

Hospital chairman Peter McCann claimed that while it was more expensive in the short term, the programme had a 50% success rate.