Horses and Healing: The Connection Between Mental Health and Equine Assisted Therapy

The Power of Horses and Equine-Assisted Therapy

Horses are often described as majestic, powerful, and beautiful. Sometimes they are described as expensive, big, and scary. It does not sound like the same animal, yet most people who spend time around a horse will tell you the same thing Winston Churchill said: “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.” This captures the power of equine-assisted therapy offered at my Virgina-based therapy practice.

And I think he’s right. The relationship that we (people) have with a horse differs from what we often have with other animals. Why would an animal whose primary response to danger is flight and one who outweighs us by about 10 to 1 be so willing to do what we ask? If we think about this for a moment, they have carried us straight into battle, gone into coal mines to carry out the coal, pulled carriages and plows, and so much more.

They even gave us the definition of how fast or how much “horsepower” an engine has. Sidenote: for anyone wanting to impress car enthusiasts. Horsepower was invented by Scottish inventor James Watts who wanted to prove that his steam engine was more powerful than horses. So, he figured out how far one horse could pull a 33 lb weight up a 1000 ft well in 60 seconds. This translated to horsepower.

The Bond Between Horse and Man

Horses have only been domesticated for about 6000 years. However, in that time the horse changed man’s trajectory through the relationship and bonds developed. Why are the bonds we form with horses so strong? Let’s take a look.

Horses Don’t Lie to Us

Horses tell us the truth no matter what. Horses don’t tell us what we want to hear. Horses tell us the truth on a level that we don’t necessarily want to know or recognize. If we approach a horse and think we’re feeling confident and happy, horses can show us in their behavior how we are truly feeling at our core. In a way, we may not even be able to see, let alone understand. They will not respond positively to us until we are genuine.

Once we embrace this and become genuine, the horse will join and be with us. Then healing can begin.

It is always interesting to see when someone comes to a session thinking they feel a certain way. They often come to realize they were feeling something completely different at their core. They were only able to connect with those feelings through the bond with the horse.

Finding Courage with Equine-Assisted Therapy

Horses allow us to face our fears. What could give you more courage than the ability to move a 1200-pound animal?

Imagine if you have been worrying, afraid or anxious. You are granted a chance to walk into a space with a horse (a large but very benign animal) and recognize the horse not only will do what you ask but wants to. The horse wants to be with you if you are genuine.

The power of connection

Through the connection with the horse, you find the answer in yourself. You recognize that you have the strength to face this fear and move forward. Give yourself credit for this. Recognize that your strength and courage have gotten you this far and can take you even further.

Making this connection frequently happens in the space with horses because you are genuine with yourself and can recognize your strength. This is so powerful and helps with healing from so many things.

Communication During Equine-Assisted Therapy

This happens in some exciting ways. Again, when you come to the space with the horse, you will need to be genuine. This may be the first time you have been able to do that. It may be the first time you have been able to be honest with yourself and not be afraid to show it.

There is no judgment with a horse, only honesty. Being honest with the horse and as a result, yourself is the first step in being able to heal. This also comes through being able to watch how horses communicate with each other. Observing how horses interact with each other is a perfect example of what honest communication is like. We can also see how to effectively stand up for each other.

Mindful Self-Care

I know mindfulness is the new buzzword, and if I had a different term I would use it. However, I do not so we will go with it. Horses will not put themselves in a dangerous situation on purpose. They will face something if they are confronted with fighting. Otherwise, their response is to avoid the problem. They will care for themselves and their herd. They are social animals with a hierarchy and social norms of acceptable behaviors.

You will recognize and see how horses interact with each other. This looks similar to our world and can be very calming and comforting to someone trying to heal. This is also helpful in allowing someone to learn how to care for themselves again. The simple act of being around other beings and engaging with them, just being with them. Breathing sometimes is all we can do… I may have mentioned that. If not, remind me, and I will in another post…

Finding Your Beauty Through Caring

Sometimes, it is just about getting out a brush and a comb and playing dress-up, even if what you are dressing up is furry. Simply demonstrating caring for another living thing and knowing that something will not criticize or judge is healing. The horse only wants you to be genuine. So if you just need to brush and comb and wash the dirt off them and see the change in them, it can be inspiring to see a change in yourself. Other times, knowing that I can care for something else can be empowering and help the healing process.

Here and Now

Horses do not know about the future. They do not worry about the past. They are with us now. If we are going to heal from the past, we need to get to the present and let go of the future. Horses only go as fast as they need. Horses do not have a concept of next week or next month. They’re only in the present.

When we allow ourselves to be present, we can function in the present and recognize that the world is changing as are our thoughts and emotions. If we change our thoughts, we change our feelings, and then we change the world because of a horse… We can truly gain insight into ourselves all because of a horse… We can heal ourselves all because of a horse.

Closing Thoughts on Equine-Assisted Therapy

So maybe Winston Churchill was onto something when he said, “There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.”

If you want to spend time with a horse and do equine therapy, you get a chance to be outside in the fresh air, sunshine, and breeze. But also a chance to go inside yourself to see what you are really thinking. We get to slow down and just be in the present moment and be truly honest with ourselves. Horses have the power to help us understand ourselves and help us heal the pain from the trauma of everyday life.

If any of this sounds familiar, a free 15-minute call is a good place to start. Get in touch.