The Sheep as a Therapy Animal

The sheep are undoubtedly the animals that most appeal to both young and old visitors of our farm. They are beautiful to look at, affectionate and sociable. There’s no need to be afraid of them: they don’t kick or bite and are not too big. The sheep are shy prey animals, so they only come near when they feel safe. Even the lively kids settle down quietly when they notice that sudden movements scare the sheep away. When you have patience to sit calmly, the sheep will draw near and show their enjoyment of pats, scratches, and a loving arm around them. Their body temperature is about 39 C, so they feel warm, and their soft wool adds to the caressing effect.

On The Pastures With Sheep

You don’t need to settle for watching the animals from behind a fence. Upon request, clients can access the sheep pens and pastures where they can get to know the sheep better and follow their lives close-up. We might also take sheep with us on a walk, spend time with the flock on the pasture or take them to eat at a nearby field with the assistance of dogs.

The bottle-fed lambs of spring are the cutest of them all. Not all the ewes have enough milk to feed a big herd of lambs, so every spring we transfer a part of the lambs onto bottle feed. Visitors can also feed them and take them outside to the yard, where they happily frolic and jump around. following people like their mothers.

Because our estate is small, we have time to spend with the little lambs – this teaches them to trust humans and stay tame for the rest of their lives. We especially do this with little kids, removing the fear of a bigger sheep knocking them over. For security reasons we also don’t let clients in among the big rams despite their active friendliness, for they can try to ram into you. Ewes and lambs are more peace-loving and simply enjoy being in closeness. Sometimes you can feel quite popular as the entire flock surrounds you and every single one needs to be patted!

Across the years we’ve noticed that many children and teenagers want to spend rather long time periods with the sheep. The sheep give and can be given affection in a safe way – perhaps they, with their simple being and acceptance, mend something in our souls. Every sheep is their own personality, and everyone can find their favorite among them; trust with a sheep is built on both sides.

Rantakorpi farm

On the Rantakorpi farm, Finnish sheep and Eastern Finnish cattle are raised on a small scale. The farm offers horseback riding trips, experiences with farm animals and sheep products.