Healing with Horses

What is Healing with Horses?

Healing with Horses is an Equine-Assisted Learning program which helps develop life skills in individuals with cognitive, physical, social, and/or learning challenges. This program also supports children and adults with complex trauma and those with disabilities.

Our mission goes beyond traditional therapy. By equipping our clients (and their families and support staff) with essential life skills, we help empower them to regulate their emotions, build self-confidence and self-esteem, and navigate different situations. Through engaging hands-on activities, participants enhance their gross and fine motor skills, improve cognitive thinking, learn how to follow directions, and more—all while surrounded by the peaceful and nurturing environment of our farm.

This is an experiential mode of therapy, which means it is based on activities on the ground with the horses and around our farm. There is no horseback riding involved (If you are interested in horseback riding, please visit our Horseback Riding Program, to learn more). These activities are then processed to understand emotions, behaviors, and patterns which can lead to healing and change.

In Healing with Horses, we believe in the extraordinary bond between humans and animals. Our program features not only our majestic horses and mini donkeys, but also our goats, chickens, and our charming pet pig, Sassy. These wonderful creatures play an integral role in the healing journey, providing companionship, joy, and a unique pathway to emotional and physical well-being.

However, the essence of Healing with Horses extends far beyond skill-building. We are dedicated to fostering a sense of community where clients can develop their sense of belonging and purpose. Here, actions matter, and every contribution is meaningful. We focus on promoting self-worth, self-advocacy, and self-discovery, which ultimately leads to a profound sense of dignity.

When children and adults join Healing with Horses, they are welcomed into a family. They learn the importance of responsibility, compassion, and empathy, rediscovering themselves in the process. Our program is not just about healing; it’s about creating lasting connections and memories in a fun, hands-on farm environment.

Why Horses?

Horses are essential guides and teachers in an individual’s journey of self-discovery and healing. Horses are prey animals and highly sensitive as a result. In fact, they can sync their heartbeat to a human’s fostering co-regulation.  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 those 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;  much like children and adults with trauma. They are attuned to the environment and can sense energy and feelings in humans often before we can fully understand or express these. As a result, they can help draw out information we may not have had the opportunity to process.

Those who are trapped in survival mode, often turn to anger in an attempt to control their situation. It is a secondary emotion derived from fear, usually from not being in control. But ultimately, anger is born out of fear. However, nature does not reflect our anger back at us. Horses do not reflect our anger back at us.

Together we work to calm the storms inside. We help our clients understand their underlying beliefs that motivate their actions and help them find the answers that they already have inside themselves.  Learning to care and work alongside a horse, takes a person out of chaos they may be experiencing and redirects this into a simplified environment, freeing them to learn to navigate their choices and their lives.