As we continue explore different types of therapy that can help your mental health, I was very excited to speak with Larissa from Healing Horse Stables, who shared more about Equine Therapy/ Therapeutic Horsemanship and the benefits it can have on your mental wellness.
This form of therapy I can speak of from experience and how a horse can truly change your life. I can’t express how much my horse has helped me throughout every stage of my life.
As a young girl she taught me responsibility, accountability and how to build a partnership with an animal. Over the course of the next 22 years she has become a partner, a confidant, someone I lean on when times are hard and a place I can escape any judgement, stress and just breathe.
She can read my energy and is very reactive to it, and adjusts her behavior and energy to match what I need. It’s amazing how an animal can help change your perspective and shape the person you become. It’s something that I hold dear to my heart and can’t wait to watch my daughter build this relationship with our horse as she grows up.
Healing Horse Stables is a non-profit organization offering: therapeutic riding, equine facilitated learning, and riding for relaxation.
With the mission to promote the physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual health and well-being of individuals, regardless of age or ability, by providing equine assisted therapies.
Why are horses used for therapy? How will this improve your overall wellness?
A horse provides a nonjudgmental, caring, responsive presence. A horse naturally gives nonverbal feedback to everyone working with it. And a horse lends its rider strength, speed, and freedom.
Riding offers opportunities to:
- improve posture
- range of motion
- flexibility
- muscle tone
- social skills
- emotional well-being
It can also experientially access spirituality through building relationships and forming community with each other, our wonderful volunteers, and non-judgmental beings, our horses.
What kind of program does Healing Horse Stables offer?
Our program and instructors, though not directly established through Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) practice in accordance with the guidelines established by the PATH program. Our instructors have all gone through both animal behavior and psychology training which have guided us in establishing our program curriculum and lesson plans.
We pride ourselves in offering equine services to riders of all abilities and facilitating their journey through equine interactions. Our main goal as an instructor is to maintain safety while providing a safe space for clients to enjoy the healing a horse can provide.
One of our biggest programs at this time is working through anxiety and fear in children affected by Covid and how this has affected their school experience and social interactions the past two years.
What is the age range for your program?
Our program offers services to both children and adults from 4 years old and up.
