People often wonder - what is so unique about horses?

Why and how are they incorporated into mental health treatment and wellness offerings?

So…what is unique about horses?

Horses are social beings who live in social structures. Unlike other therapy animals (such as dogs who are pack/predator animals), horses are prey animals. As such, they are biologically wired to remain aware of their surroundings at all times, for survival. Thus, horses are masters at living in the moment, responding to the present experience rather than worrying about the future or reflecting on the past. When horses are faced with a stressor or change, they react to it in the moment, and then shift back to living in the present. Think of watching a horse graze on grass – once a stressful situation has passed, they go right back to their grazing/grounded state. The horses do not know what struggles bring each client to treatment, or even that they are in a treatment setting. Horses are naturally unbiased which provides a space for participants to be their authentic selves, solely responding to how they are approached and what is going on around them in that moment. This provides clients with the opportunity to shift what they are doing and experience whether this results in a shift from the horse – all in real time.

Practicing Skills

The experiential approach and the presence of horses also allows for an opportunity for practicing skills learned in other areas of treatment or life, in the company of the horses. Examples include practicing mindfulness skills of being grounded and focused on the present moment. Other factors might include confidence building, working to connect and effectively communicate with a large, often 1,000 lb. animal. We encourage each participant to take information from the session that relates to their journey until their return to the horses.