Flying Horse Stable Equine Assisted Therapy

Equine Assisted Therapy

beautiful horse in pasture A unique and alternative approach in which horses are used as a tool for emotional growth and learning. Sessions are offered as experiential learning activities or equine facilitated mental health therapy.
Both approaches promote:
            Personal exploration of feelings and behaviors
            Learning about partnerships with horses and others
            Participating in activities with the horses
            Processing or discussing feelings and behaviors

Why work with a horse?
Horses survive and thrive by keeping a wide view, staying aware of the big picture. As an
animal that is preyed upon in nature, the horse has a highly developed ability to sense changes
in the environment and in the stance and arousal level of other herd members. This gives a horse an amazing ability to sense and respond to the slightest signal and emotion from humans.

Horses are very social animals. Watching how they communicate and relate to one another can teach humans a great
deal about nonverbal communication and social interactions. Learning how to communicate with the horses
offers an opportunity to use analogies that can be applied to personal life skills.

The size of the horse focuses our attention. For some individuals, this offers the opportunity to overcome
fear and develop self-confidence. This opportunity helps the individual gain skills that help improve the
challenging situations in everyday life.

following in the round pen

When we interact with horses we are invited to see ourselves through their eyes. The horse mirrors what human body language is telling him. When the horse feels safe, he will "join" with us—become a partner. Their willingness to engage with us in a nonjudgmental manner allows us to see our individual patterns of behaviors, emotions and intentions.

Horses can inspire you to live in a connected relationship with your whole being. The healing capacity of the horse inspires emotional well-being, confidence and personal strength. The horse is the true therapist.

Equine Experiential Learning Activities

Experiential learning refers to a style of learning that occurs when a person is interacting with the environment, people, animals and the immediate situation. It is learning by doing—a here and now experience. Emphasis is placed on goal setting. Through trial and error process of completing an activity with the horses, clients learn and practice new strategies that can be transferred to achieving their goals outside the arena.

Mutually respectful equine activities may include, but are not limited to: handling, grooming, longeing, round pen work, general horse care and riding. Previous riding experience or knowledge of horses is not needed to participate in these activities.

Equine Facilitated Mental Health Therapy

Equine Facilitated Mental Health Therapy is a collaborative effort between a licensed therapist, a horse professional, the horse and the participant. Sessions are designed to meet individual needs. This provides an opportunity to discuss and work through specific issues. It also provides the client with opportunities to enhance self-awareness and re-pattern maladaptive behaviors, feelings, and attitudes.

This is a powerful and effective therapeutic approach that has had an incredible impact on individuals, families and groups with a variety of mental health and human development needs. Examples of mental health issues that may be addressed in this program are: anxiety disorder, stress management, behavioral difficulties, ADHD, depression, post-traumatic stress, Asperger Syndrome, coping with cancer or other major life changes (divorce, grief, abuse, loss).

Equine assisted therapy uses activities requiring the client or group to apply skills in nonverbal communication, assertiveness, creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership and teamwork in their interactions with horses. Participation may result in developing personal responsibility and confidence which can be difficult to teach in a conventional classroom or counseling session. These non-traditional techniques have been linked to far-ranging success in the development of personal well-being.

Experience the the power of the horse-human connection

"the wind of heaven
is that which blows
between a horse's ears"