What is Healing with Horses?
Healing with Horses is an Equine-Assisted Learning program which helps develop life skills in children with complex trauma and those with special needs. The program teaches children how to communicate with their horse through body language, energy and pressure which helps them develop a greater capacity for empathy, social and self-awareness. It is a collaborative effort between a professional horse specialist (an equine specialist), the horses and the client(s).
This is an experiential mode of therapy, which means it is based on activities on the ground with the horses. There is no horseback riding involved. These activities are then processed to understand emotions, behaviors, and patterns which can lead to healing and change.
Everything that happens in the horse paddock and the woods is a parallel to life. Part of the power of the model of equine assisted learning is that clients are able to create in the outside realm, a symbolic, physical representation of what is happening in their internal selves. Everything in the paddock has the potential to become a metaphor, whether it is the horses, the gate, a bird, the dirt, or a barrel.
Why Horses?
Why Horses?
Horses are your guides and teachers on the child’s journey of self-discovery and healing. Horses are prey animals and highly sensitive. In fact, they can sync their heartbeat to a human’s from 4 feet away. Because they give honest feedback with no judgement or ego, they respond according to what the person’s body language, emotions and energy are communicating – our non-verbal communication.
They are particularly fitting for children who have experienced early developmental trauma due to the specific correlations between their characteristics. Because horses are prey animals, they are always in survival mode; often very much like children with trauma. They are attuned to the environment and can sense energy and feelings in humans before we can. As a result, they can draw out information we may not even know or be aware of (yet the horses do).
Anger is born out of fear. It is a secondary emotion derived from fear, usually from not being in control. Anger becomes our tool for regaining control. Nature does not reflect our anger back at us. Horses do not reflect our anger back at us. Horses and nature take everything we throw at her and only give back abundance.
Together we calm the storms inside. We help the children understand their underlying beliefs that motivate their actions and help them change those underlying beliefs. Learning to care for a horse and work with a horse takes the child out of the chaos and into a simplified environment, freeing them to accept responsibility for their choices and their lives.
Who Benefits from Equine-Assisted Learning?
Research shows Equine-Assisted Learning to be a successful treatment approach for children, teens, adults, families, and groups. Some conditions or disorders that respond well to EAL or related equine-assisted therapies include:
- Substance Use Disorders
- Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, Stress
- Trauma
- Eating Disorders
- Behavior Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Autism
- Down Syndrome
- Abuse
- Learning Challenges
- ADD/ADHD
- Grief/Loss
- Abandonment/Neglect
“I am thoroughly impressed with the Healing with Horses program. It has had a tremendous impact in the lives of the family that I am working with for case management services.
Each of the girls has made tremendous strides in their mental health treatment plan goals. They are learning breathing techniques, healthy coping skills, and about themselves as they work with the horses and other aspects of the farm. They are both demonstrating more patience, increased confidence, and self-esteem. They are getting along better with each other and their parents. Episodes of defiance have significantly decreased as well as emotional outbursts”.
Amber Harlow
MH Case Manager for Children and Adolescents
MPNN CSB-Youth and Family Services
Intake Assessment
Every child starts with an intake assessment where our program director learns from guardians about the child’s history, strengths, interests and challenges.
The purpose of this assessment is to ensure each applicant is appropriate for our program and that goals and strategies for success are identified early on. Only upon completion of this assessment will the program director determine if an applicant is eligible to begin our program.
Plan of Care
Once an Assessment has been completed, we work to put together a Plan of Care, or a road-map, for each child. It identifies the purpose of the child’s enrollment in the program. This plan consists of a detailed outline addressing specific life skill goals for the child.
Our plan focuses on building the following life skill areas (amongst others): Self Worth, Responsibility, Self Regulation, Emotional Awareness, Healthy Relationships and Independence.
Treatment Plan
Once we have established the life skills we intend to work on (based on our initial Intake Assessment), we couple them with already created Lesson Plan Activities. Each activity is completed with the child, an equine specialist and a horse. The activities are designed to be fun and engaging, while addressing the child’s areas of challenge and targets for growth. Often the activities are problem solving based, relationship building or focused on critical thinking skills. Though students can learn horsemanship skills through the sessions, it is usually not the primary goal.
Life Skills we teach
- Confidence
- Assertiveness
- Sense of purpose
- Work ethic
- Respect
- Executive Functioning
- Independent thinking
- Critical thinking
- Focus
- Anger management
- Empathy
- Trust
- Listening
Sample Lesson Plan
How do I get started?
Step 1 Call us or fill out the LEARN MORE form. We’d love to hear from you and learn more about your organization and the clients you support.
This will help us determine the best option for your applicants. We start the process with a phone call and an Assessment to better understand the needs of the child/children in need. Please indicate during this call whether you are working with an individual or a group.
Step 2 Based on our conversation, we will send you a registration packet (via email).
This packet will include a written Assessment form, which provides more information on the child (i.e. history, presenting issues, medical and social history, potential trauma, developmental milestones etc.). Please fill out the form and return to us.
Step 3 Based on the paperwork and the information we receive; we will set up a phone call to discuss the case.
During this call, we will discuss the child’s history in greater detail and what options exist here at the Farm for him/her. We will then schedule an equine session at the Farm to complete our Assessment.
Step 4 Before we can complete our final Assessment and make a recommendation for the child, we will have an equine-assisted learning session here at the Farm. During this session, our equine specialist will spend some time with the child to best understand the concerns and issues.
The cost for this initial session for an individual is $85.00.
If you are interested in bringing a group out for equine-assisted learning, an in person assessment is not required.
Book Equine-Assisted Learning
If you would like to learn more about our Equine-Assisted Learning program, please fill out the form and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Notice to Users
The Fox Moon Farm Project is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, medical treatment, medication, or therapy. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified mental health provider with any questions you may have regarding any mental health symptom or medical condition. The Fox Moon Farm Project Inc. is not authorized to make recommendations about medication or serve as a substitute for professional advice. Never disregard professional psychological or medical advice or delay in seeking professional advice or treatment because of something you have read on The Fox Moon Farm Project, Inc.
We work with PATH International, a federally registered 501(c)3, which leads the advancement of professional equine-assisted services, by supporting its members and stakeholders through rigorously developed standards, credentialing and education.
PATH Intl. was founded in 1969 to promote safe and effective therapeutic — also known as adaptive horseback riding throughout the United States and Canada. Today, PATH Intl. has 813 member centers and nearly 7,000 individual members in countries all over the world who help and support more than 53,300 men, women and children — including nearly 6,000 veterans — with special needs each year through a variety of equine-assisted services.