In some ways, horses are truly magical creatures. They can relate to humans in ways we don’t understand. These magical qualities make horses incredible therapy partners. The benefits of equine therapy help people of all ages and abilities.
What Is the Definition Of EAP
Equine therapy provides both physical and mental benefits to people with a range of special needs. Marley’s Mission defines equine therapy as follows: “equine-assisted therapy model or EAP, is a treatment that includes equine activities or an equine environment to promote physical, occupational, and emotional growth in persons with a myriad of afflictions.”
The therapy helps people with anxiety, depression, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addictions, traumatic brain injuries, Down Syndrome, autism, and many other physical disabilities and mental health issues.
It helps participants learn about themselves, better understand and express their emotions, and develop better communication skills. Equine therapy also has several physical benefits.
Benefits Of Equine Therapy For Children
Children, especially, can benefit from spending time with horses.
Movement
Riding horses creates three-dimensional movement. This means that horses move in all directions, forward, up, and sideways. The horse’s movement also stimulates the pelvis to rotate in a way very similar to how humans walk. As the horse moves, the rider’s body must move. It is impossible to avoid this.
This helps the rider develop better control of their body, especially the upper body. It also builds strength and activates muscles people don’t use in other ways.
For children with autism, the movement of the horse provides positive sensory stimulation. With these children, the horse’s movement, especially at gaits faster than a walk, is soothing in a high proportion of cases.
The Horses Give Constant Information
Horses live in the present and are constantly giving feedback to those around them. They will react to the behavior of the rider or handlers. This will highlight and mirror emotions. So if the child is agitated, anxious, or hyper, this horse will sense this and become this way as well.
This horse behavior faces children with mirrors of themselves. It will help them understand their emotions and how it affects another. The children can then learn that if they adjust their behavior, the horse will change. For example, if a child is hyper and their horse also becomes hyper, they can learn that when they calm down, the horse will calm.
Another example is a child that has trouble making an effort, so instead doesn’t try. This child will likely face a horse that now won’t move or do what it is asked. The child will learn that they need to make an effort to get the result they want.
Horses Help Overcome Fears
Children that are timid, shy, or lack confidence, can significantly benefit from equine therapy. Horses are large, strong, and intimidating animals. However, horses also don’t lie and react fairly to the person in front of them. That is, if the person is calm and kind, they will get a horse that is calm and interested in them.
When a child spends time with a horse, riding isn’t even necessary, and they start to realize that they are not so scary. A child with a fear of rejection will see that the horse accepts them how they are and doesn’t see the imperfections they have. Handling the horse and the horse cooperating can build confidence.
Trust Building
This brings us to trust. Children in equine therapy due to traumatic life experiences might have trust issues. This can trigger other behavioral problems, such as anger or defensiveness. As we said earlier, horses are who they are. They don’t lie or try to manipulate you.
The child or adult victim of abuse, for example, will find that the horse accepts them and is kind to them, despite it being much stronger and bigger. Promises Behavioral Health uses an example of a person that went through terrible childhood abuse and their first experience with a horse.
The therapist had the person sit in a field with a horse with no pressure to do anything. After spending about an hour this way with the horse, the person said, “I’ve never had anybody so big be nice to me before.”
Trust therapy activities with horses teach the person to trust again. It helps them process the emotions that lead to mistrust in the first place. This will hopefully lead to the person learning to have better trust in themselves.
Create An Emotional Bond
Children with autism particularly can struggle with forming emotional bonds. Many of these children have difficulty making eye contact. Children with autism can also have difficulty verbally expressing their feelings. With horses, these children do not need to speak to communicate, which can help reduce their frustrations.
To create this bond, equine therapy teaches this child to care for the horse. This will include brushing them, petting them, and even hugging them. This activity stimulates feelings and creates an emotional bond. As a result, these children can develop better communication skills with people.
Increase Physical Strength And Dexterity
Horse riding requires strength and coordination. For adults and children with difficulties engaging their muscles or moving their bodies, horse riding can stimulate these movements. Muscles will get stronger, and balance will improve. Equine therapy can also enhance dexterity and flexibility.
Overall physical health will improve as it is a physical exercise. It also means spending time outside in the fresh air.
Conclusion
Equine therapy is increasingly popular. Even though people study the horse to understand it better, no one is yet to discover its magic. How the horse can read us better than we can read ourselves is a mystery. Everyone that has the opportunity to experience this magic will come away with some healing.
Equine-assisted therapy helps us come to terms with the decisions we make and bring behavior into more self-awareness. It is an excellent resource for veterans suffering trauma that have lost the ability to make emotional connections or need mental peace.
Children with special needs suffering trauma or mental health issues can experience the breakthrough they need to take developmental steps or start to heal. If you work with horses, it is easy to see how horses can help people.
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