When asked about horses, I always talk about their “therapeutic” value. Spending time in the barn grooming, feeding, and overall caring for horses helps me reduce stress, lowers my blood pressure, and improves my general health. My “therapy” exists in the time I spend with horses. Medical professionals realize the power of the relationship between horses and humans. “Equine therapy” works as a popular tool to use with a variety of populations. How does one define equine therapy and its utilization?
Definitions
According to PATH International (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship), an equine assisted therapy consists of treatment which uses horses to reach rehabilitative goals bounded by a medical professional’s scope of practice. Equine assisted therapy does not exist as an activity run by local horse clubs, church groups, or trainers. Instead, equine assisted therapy occurs when overseen by a medical professional such as a licensed psychotherapist or physical therapist. An equine facilitated psychotherapy used by addiction treatment facilities, veterans, and trauma centers always occurs under the supervision of a licensed mental health professional. These types of therapies rarely involve riding the horse.
Benefits
Working with horses can seem an intimidating experience. Trying to get a thousand-pound animal to do what you want presents a task that is not easy. If unaccustomed to being honest and communicating clearly, the task becomes more difficult. Horses can present an emotional mirror for humans. They possess a strong emotional sense and use this sense as a survival tool. If a person approaches a horse with anger, the horse will respond by shying away or becoming stubborn. Horses never hide their emotions. Because of these qualities, horses can help people heal from a variety of psychological issues.
Feelings
Horses help individuals identify their feelings. If one walks angrily toward a horse snatching its halter or lead, the horse will yank its head back and pull away. The therapist might ask the person, “What angers you?” Most of the time the client will deny his or her anger and need to see the evidence of the horse’s behavior to identify the feeling. Addicts and other trauma survivors must learn how to identify their emotions in order to work through them. Horses present a good tool for therapists to help clients do just that.
Trauma
Horses can also open the door to revisit past traumatic events. Perhaps a plastic bag blows into the arena during a session that startles the horses. A client who experiences child or domestic abuse might break down in tears upon seeing the frightened horses. It might remind him or her of incidents of powerlessness, helplessness, and fear of no one to turn to for help. Any of these kinds of reactions present rich material for talk therapy and worked through immediately or in future sessions.
Work Ethic
Horses require us to work. We get up early to feed them and to clean stalls. We earn wages to buy feed, tack, and maintain horse properties. Domestic horses require grooming, exercising, and attending. The same applies to the human world. Most of us must work. Whether raising children or going to an office, factory, or running a business, we get up early and arrive on time. We pay bills, clean the house, and keep the car in working order. We work hard and enjoy our moments of respite. We also work to maintain our relationships by listening to our friends, supporting our families, and providing services to our communities. Working hard and in a healthy way creates skills acquired by learning to engage with horses.
Trust
Horses represent majestic animals and wonderful companions. They possess gentleness and honesty. Horses do not have the ability to manipulate or lie. One common treatment technique for those abused as children consists of putting the now adult individual in with a large horse and allow them to interact. Very often the person will break down in tears and say something such as, “Nothing this big has ever treated me so kind.” The client can then take this experience into the human world.
Conclusion
Equine assisted therapy can produce positive results for those recovering from substance abuse, trauma, depression, or a number of other psychological issues. It can help individuals develop a work ethic, identify and process feelings, and learn how to trust. To ensure safety and effectiveness equine facilitated psychotherapy must occur under the supervision of a licensed medical professional. As problematic feelings and memories surface someone with experience in helping people process those feelings must make themselves available. The professionalism of those engaged with equine therapies makes the therapy both effective and safe. I hope one day to assist with this type of therapy.
