Equine Therapy – Human-Horse Relations
Sanctuary Stables is a Horse Rescue and Retirement Sanctuary for horses who, for many, would have ended up in the slaughter pipeline without our intervention. These animals serve as our Therapy Horses, and are the critically important partners in our Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) and Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) Programs at Sanctuary Stables. Each of these horses has an inspirational life story of struggle and survival that we like to share with clients! Emotional and mental wounds can be mended by bonding with these large, gentle animals.
What is Equine Therapy?
Equine-assisted therapy encompasses a range of treatments that involve activities with horses to promote human physical and mental health. During equine-assisted therapy, the client is typically with a trained therapist, an equine specialist, and the horse.
Throughout the world, EAT is being used for many different purposes, and there are numerous modalities of EAT, some of which are:
Equine-assisted learning (EAL) is described as an “experiential learning approach that promotes the development of life skills … through equine-assisted activities.”
Equine-assisted psychotherapy (EAP) does not necessarily involve riding, but may include grooming, feeding and ground exercises. Mental health professionals work with one or more clients and one or more horses in an experiential manner to help the clients learn about themselves and others, while processing or discussing the client’s feelings, behaviors, and patterns. The goal is to help the client in social, emotional, cognitive, or behavioral ways. Other terms for equine psychotherapy include Equine-facilitated psychotherapy (EFP), equine-assisted therapy (EAT), Equine Facilitated Wellness (EFW), Equine Facilitated Counseling (EFC) and Equine Facilitated Mental Health (EFMH).
Equine-Assisted Activities (EAA) incorporates all of the above activities plus horse grooming, and stable management, shows, parades, demonstrations, and the like.
The Human-Horse Connection
The history of horses and humans dates back centuries. Traditionally, the horse has been used as a working tool, a form of transportation and in battle. By the mid-20th century, the horse’s utilitarian value had decreased, yet popularity of horse riding and racing had grown. In addition, horses started to be increasingly valued as human companions.
These traits can create a connection between individuals and horses, often leading to a noticeable transformation for each-other.
Studies of human-horse relations have found miraculous connections, a form of collaborative neural communication from brain-to-brain, in real time. Such conversations allow horse and human to achieve their immediate goals in athletic performance and everyday life. In a very real sense, each species’ mind is extended beyond its own skin into the mind of another, with physical interaction becoming a kind of neural dance.
Recent research by the “Man O’War Project” has proven that equine-assisted therapy (EAT) actually results in brain-based changes that can increase a individual’s capacity to enjoy life, despite facing trauma and life’s adversities.