What is Equine Therapy?
Equine Therapy is a form of therapy that incorporates horses into a therapy session. A client engages in activities with the horse such as grooming, feeding, and leading a horse while talking with a mental health professional. Together, while interacting with the horse, clients uses all the senses while learning and processing through emotional challenges.
The goal is not to teach riding or horsemanship, but to provide an opportunity for a client’s life stories to unfold metaphorically. The horses play powerful characters in this narrative by revealing relationship dynamics or other symbolic aspects of their life.
Ground-Based Therapy
Our practice uses ground-based equine therapy, which means there is no riding of the horses. This allows the horses to be themselves and have the freedom to make their choices. Because horses are free to move, they can create shifts in the client’s stories, bringing awareness and change.
This unique approach combines our therapists’ expertise with the equine specialist’s knowledge of horses, and the intuitive, non-judgmental presence of the horses to create a dynamic therapeutic environment
The Therapeutic Power of Horses
Horses are incredibly perceptive animals, and they often mirror the emotions and energy of the people around them. Engaging with horses can teach valuable life skills and create personal growth.
For example, clients learn to regulate their emotions, as horses respond to calmness and confidence. This interaction can build self-confidence and help develop trust and respect in relationships. Experiences like this with the horses can help clients become better at understanding nonverbal cues and responding in meaningful ways- taking a powerful step toward healing.
