Healing Through Equine Therapy

 Key Mental Health Benefits:

• Reduces Stress and Anxiety: Horses' calming presence lowers cortisol (stress hormone), heart rate, and blood pressure, while increasing endorphins, offering physiological relief. 
• Boosts Self Esteem and Confidence: Developing a bond and learning to handle a large animal fosters personal growth, independence, and self-efficacy. 
• Improved Emotional Regulation: Horses react to emotions, providing real-time, honest feedback, which helps individuals identify patterns and practice managing feelings. 
• Enhances Communication and Social Skills: Non-verbal cues and understanding the horse's needs improve empathy, assertiveness, and social awareness. 
• Provides Grounding and Mindfulness: Focusing on the horse's presence and tasks like grooming encourages mindfulness, bringing clients out of negative thought spirals. 
• Builds Trust and Vulnerability: Overcoming barriers to trust with an animal can translate to better relationships with humans, especially for trauma survivors. 
• Develops Coping and Problem-Solving: Working through challenges with horses teaches patience, responsibility, and healthier ways to deal with problems. 

Yes, equine therapy horses are specifically chosen and trained to be exceptionally patient, gentle, and non-judgmental, possessing calm temperaments and high tolerance for people, making them ideal, honest partners that mirror human emotions to facilitate healing, trust, and self-awareness. They are like big, gentle, honest mirrors, reflecting your feelings without criticism, which helps people build confidence and form unique bonds.  

 Key benefits for stress management

• Reduces cortisol (stress hormone) and increases oxytocin (bonding hormone).
• Develops emotional regulation and self-awareness.
• Teaches healthy boundaries and trust.
• Provides an escape in a natural setting, improving mood. 

No, you don't need a formal diagnosis or severe trauma to use equine therapy; it's helpful for a wide range of challenges like stress, grief, low self-esteem, and general emotional regulation, though it's also very effective for diagnosed conditions like PTSD, anxiety, depression, and ADHD, working alongside other therapies. It benefits anyone seeking to build skills, improve self-awareness, or find new ways to connect, not just those with significant disorders.  

Currently, we do not travel to other barns. However, if there is a demand for our services, we can connect and see options?

It’s important to distinguish between Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy (EFP) and Equine-Facilitated Learning (EFL) as each serves distinct purposes, utilizes different methodologies, and targets varied outcomes. Knowing the differences can help clients, practitioners, and organizations choose the appropriate approach based on their specific needs and goals.

• For licensed mental health practitioners and Masters level students pursuing licensure
• Supports you to work in clinical mental health sessions incorporating horses
• Considered a therapy modality for insurance billing
• Can incorporate into group or private practice

• Suitable for educators, coaches, or equine professionals
• Teaches you to facilitate personal development, organizational, and/or educational sessions incorporating horses. 
• Not covered through health insurance