Why horses?
- Jaithra Kakarla
- Feb 3, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 28, 2020
“There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” - Sir Winston Churchill
For many people, being around animals is, without a doubt, easier than being around people. No shortage of sentiments is written about the fact that animals do not judge, criticize, or reject us. There are many options and many different types of animal-assisted therapy. Examples of some animals utilized are dolphins, elephants, dogs, and cats just to name a few. The utilization of animals to assist in therapy could possibly go back centuries. In fact, there is evidence that horses were used for therapeutic riding in ancient Greek literature. But animal therapy as a practice is a comparatively recent phenomenon.
Horses are commonly the most often used for the unique attributes that they possess. Horses are large and often intimidating creatures, which allows the participants to gain trust with the horse. The horse gives you an instantaneous response about your own actions and body language through mirroring. If you seem tense and nervous, the horse will reflect this feeling. You learn to act and react appropriately. "Accomplishing a task involving the horse, in spite of those fears, creates confidence and provides for wonderful metaphors for dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations," said Lynn Thomas the co-founder of EAGALA.
Equine therapy allows for horses to be incorporated into the therapeutic process. With mature horses weighing anywhere in the range of 900 to 2,000 pounds or more, it might feel a bit intimidating to have such a large, majestic creature sitting in your therapy sessions. However, equine-assisted therapy is growing in popularity due to its experiential approach and some burgeoning evidence of its effectiveness. Horses build trusting relationships with humans, which can be critical for children who are developing and growing. In an article entitled, Horse Therapy for Kids, the author enlightens us about the importance of a trusting relationship between a horse and a human: “What horses care about is being treated with kindness. They instantly react to aggression, fear, and anger. Clients learn fairly quickly that horses will retreat unless riders learn to control those emotions.”
Once you get to know a horse, you feel genuinely comfortable. The same is true of a loyal dog or a kind cat. Undoubtedly, any gentle creature can become an important friend. That’s one of the most powerful components of equine therapy: Horses provide a bond that is completely unspoken. But the benefits of equine therapy don’t stop there. A few more reasons why horses are ranked no 2. for the best therapy animals are:
No Judgements
Unlike some humans, horses don’t pass judgment. They are open and accepting of all. A horse won’t be critical. A horse won’t reject you. A horse doesn’t have sour words. Horses form natural, loyal relationships with us.
Warmth
Horses also actively display warmth and affection. Whether it’s a gentle neigh, a hand on a nose, or a welcome glance, horses constantly offer care and affection to those that surround them. It’s a horse’s warmth that provides a feeling of comfort for participants. Horses are keen observers, observant and responsive to movement and emotion. They often mirror a participant's behavior or emotions, conveying understanding and connection that allows the client to feel safe. This also allows for participants to maintain a sense of self-awareness, using the horse's behavior and interactions for feedback and opportunities to check-in and process what is happening at the moment.
Keenly aware of emotional energies, horses sense what we’re feeling, sometimes better than we do. With a few well-chosen words and a forced smile, we may be able to hide our real feelings from another person. We may even hide our own deeper feelings from ourselves. But we cannot fool a horse. Horses can sense emotions that lurk beneath the surface of our awareness and mirror them back to us, showing us what we have been avoiding. And like Rogerian therapists, horses are honest and present, responding openly without pretense. You know where you stand with a horse.
Sympathy
Animals can sense human emotion, and they are compassionate when we’re upset. Think about your favorite animal—they can sense when you’re sad, and they’ll show their compassion with a simple action. Horses are just the same. They can sense a variety of emotions and will do their best to be supportive and uplifting.
One can say that simply being on a horse is therapeutic. Through hippotherapy, a participant can experience many different types of beneficial sensory stimulation -- muscles and joints receive deep pressure stimulation from bouncing and holding positions (like kneeling or standing on the horse), and the brain receives vestibular stimulation (to sense movement and balance) as the horse moves (in circles, up and down hills) and changes speeds. Also, because a horse walks with a gait that's similar to the human gait -- variable, rhythmic, and repetitive -- a child who has never walked or who has an abnormal gait can sit on a horse and experience what "normal" feels like.
There are many other factors related to the benefits of riding horses. To know more about Equine Therapy in general visit the "About" page on the website and keep reading the blog posts for more detailed information.
References:
Leave a comment below if you have any queries or suggestions :)
Comments