Equine-Assisted Individual Therapy

Horses sense human feelings and emotions.

They respond to the internal state of an individual.

People “think” and distract; horses “feel” and respond immediately. Their response is an honest and accurate feedback about a person’s internal feelings.

What does Individual therapy with a horse look like? Let’s see.

Three horses teach three lessons.

As she entered the arena with three horses, a young female gave each horse a “name,” depending on how she perceived them. Resistant, Passive, and Trusting hung out with the young lady for a bit.

She was then encouraged to work with the horse to which she was drawn. She sought out and wanted to connect with Resistant. She experienced, in the moment, her pattern of seeking out people who are resistant and noticing that she does most of the work in that type of relationship.

She then moved to work with Trusting, and the connection, which appeared as a quiet dance between the client and Trusting was powerful to witness.

It is about making connection and meeting needs.

A connection with a horse is asked for; when the horse is ready, it gives the person a connection, if that is what the person needs.

When the connection with Trusting was experienced, this young lady understood more fully what self-trust felt like. By trusting herself more, she didn’t need to be around resistant people or be passive to get what she needed.

Horse/Client connections meet a host of needs.

Through horse’s observance and feedback, equine-assisted therapy helps individuals address numerous issues.

Horses are teachers and encourage us to have emotional intelligence. We can learn to understand boundaries and communication.

Those who have experienced anxiety, depression, trauma, and post-traumatic stress (both acute and chronic) receive emotional support.

People struggling with attention deficit issues and obsessive-compulsive behaviors learn how they affect themselves and others.

Those suffering from a lack of self-worth/self-confidence are helped to build confidence.

Why stay stuck as you are when there is hope?