BENEFITS OF
EQUINE THERAPY
5 Lessons Only a Horse Teaches
People have sought out relationships with horses since we first laid eyes on each other. Riding horses can be exhilarating, but there’s something even more profound. That’s why many mental health professionals recommend the benefits of equine therapy. “There are striking similarities between horses and people,” says Vicki Yarker-Jones, who grew up riding horses. She has also maintained a private professional supervision practice since 1999 and more recently counselling since 2016 “Like people, horses are social beings whose herd dynamics are remarkably similar to the family system.”
At A Purple Point of View people can experience change in a hands-on way. It challenges people to look at themselves and the world in a new way. People who have struggled to make progress or achieve their treatment goals have made significant breakthroughs with the aid of equine therapy. Research has confirmed many equine therapy benefits. It lowers your blood pressure and heart rate, alleviates stress and reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression. Equine therapy also helps people struggling with addictions or mental illness. There are several life skills that horse teaches better than a person. This is the primary benefit of using equine therapy with individuals facing mental illness or addiction.
EQUINE THERAPY
LESSON 1
Identifying and Coping with Feelings
Equine therapy is a powerful way to get in touch with thoughts and feelings. During equine therapy, you do not use your mind to address problems. Instead, you must use your body and heart to feel and react in the moment. Horses have a unique ability to sense emotions and react accordingly. If your are angry or aggressive, the horse may become obstinate. If you are anxious, the horse may get skittish. But when approached by someone who is open and calm, the horse is more likely to respond in kind. Witnessing the horse’s response promotes self-awareness and can help people see themselves in a more realistic way.
EQUINE THERAPY
LESSON 2
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
Many people experiencing Mental Health issues may struggle at times emotionally. They may have difficulty relating or getting close to other people. Yet they manage to establish close bonds with horses. Through working with horses, people recognise their patterns of interacting with others. Horses do not speak, but they are excellent communicators. Learning to understand horse behavior can help people learn the way their behavior impacts others. “As a sophisticated herd animal, horses immediately begin building relationships with people as members of their herd,”Yarker-Jones says. “People then get to decide whether they will hold fast to their old ways of interacting or take this unique opportunity to develop a new kind of relationship.” While riding can be part of equine therapy, the most important work happens during the interactions between client and horse, she says. Exercises as simple as haltering, leading and grooming teach people how to approach others with respect and awareness. In equine therapy, people talk about what they see and feel. The therapist guides the person to see the horse’s responses with an objective lens. Thus, they begin to recognise the ways in which their perceptions are accurate or misguided. They also discover the ways they may be projecting their own issues onto others.
EQUINE THERAPY
LESSON 3
Setting Boundaries
Working with a horse can expose a person’s challenging thoughts and behavior patterns. In an equine therapy session, Yarker-Jones draws metaphors between the client’s interaction with the horse and the patterns in their own lives. She finds opportunity to address issues like enmeshment and detachment in their family. Lessons may be as simple as how much physical space the horse needs to feel comfortable. Without any words at all, horses make clear when someone has crossed their boundaries. Trying to control or dominate will not work with a horse. Likewise, a detached or passive approach can make it difficult to lead a horse.
EQUINE THERAPY
LESSON 4
Overcoming Fears
Horses are large animals. Their strength and size can bring up unmet needs, fears, past trauma and feelings of inadequacy or lack of control. “These special animals allow people to bring all kinds of issues into the horse’s world and accept them as they are – imperfections and all.” In a safe environment, clients learn to face their fears. They build confidence in their ability to overcome challenges. Many people feel intimidated and nervous at first. Later they discover how quickly they process those feelings and find comfort in their relationship with the horse. Empowered by the experience, people may develop the confidence to address other fears. They then transfer these lessons to day-to-day life. “People don’t have to love horses or have experience working with animals in order to benefit from equine therapy,” says Vicki. “They simply have to be willing to give treatment a chance and move in a different direction than they have in the past.”
EQUINE THERAPY
LESSON 5
Trust
Horses are soothing, gentle animals. They are straightforward in their interactions without lying or manipulating. They do not judge or blame. Their presence alone can be healing. Vicki says she still learns something new every day. “I get back tenfold what I put in just by watching someone have a softening of the heart or a moment that creates a new kind of wonderful body memory.”
If you are interested in booking an Equine Therapy session or want to know more,
contact Vicki at vicki@apurplepointofview.com
Tel: +64 274 891 555
Email: vickiinpurple@gmail.com
vicki@apurplepointofview.com
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Vicki images courtesy of Natwick Photography