For thousands of years, humans have had a special relationship with horses. A horse’s strength, beauty, and gentleness have made them one of the most loved and respected animals by humans. Horses have been used for therapy for thousands of years, but not until the mid-1900s were horses used and recognized as a formal therapeutic approach. Used for many different reasons, equine therapy can help with addiction recovery by treating both mental and physical conditions. In this article, we will discover the ins and outs of what equine therapy is, what makes horses so special making them an effective part of therapy, and what the benefits of equine therapy are.
What is Equine Therapy?
If you have never heard about equine therapy or very little about it, you are not alone. Although horses have been used for many years for therapeutic purposes, this holistic approach to treating mental and physical conditions has most recently gained popularity. Equine therapy is commonly used to treat mental conditions such as anxiety, depression, ADHD, autism, and addiction. Also, physical conditions often benefit from equine therapy as well. Let’s take a look at the basics of equine therapy.
– Equine therapy consists of combining talk therapy with the interactions between a person and a horse.
– Involves activities around caring for the horse like grooming, feeding, haltering, and even riding the horses.
– Working with horses provides someone with the opportunity to learn more about themselves, develop essential life skills, and nurture emotional growth.
– Equine therapy can be used on its own or combined with other types of therapy modalities.
Equine therapy is an innovative and holistic approach to healing. It helps to promote well-being, improve quality of life, and helps to find a path free from addiction.
Why Horses? What Makes Them Special
Humans and horses have had a long and unique history, tracing back to ancient civilizations. Horses hold many special qualities that help with personal insight and the cultivation of resilience. Silent communicators, horses have a magical way of speaking to us without words. Read below and discover some of the qualities that make these gentle giants such valuable partners in the healing journey.
– Horses are highly sensitive to the emotions of the person it is with and will mirror the emotion. This bond between horses and humans provides instant feedback about the emotional state or feelings of the person.
– Interacting with horses by petting, grooming, feeding, and riding them are calming activities. Just being in the presence of a horse can be calming and has been proven to lower your heart rate.
– Interaction with horses requires non-verbal communication between the animal and the person. A horse’s ability to communicate with human beings makes it an extremely special animal.
– Horses are smart, loyal, strong, gentle, and free. Their ability to capture a person’s attention with respect and reverence is unlike any other.
This is a short list of the amazing attributes that horses possess making them successful therapeutic animals. If you have ever been around a horse, even if they invoke a little fear because of their size and strength, the magic of the animal cannot be denied.
The Benefits of Equine Therapy in Addiction Recovery
Substance use disorder, often referred to as addiction, is one of many mental conditions that benefit from equine therapy. The gentle nature of the horse helps to promote positive emotional changes. Meanwhile, their strength and the work it takes to care for them contribute to the physical benefits. Listed below are many ways that equine therapy benefits a person in recovery by promoting self-awareness, emotional growth, and overall well-being. The life skills gained by participating in equine therapy can keep you on the path to recovery long after therapy has ended.
– Providing instant feedback, a horse allows a person to see a reflection of themselves in the horse’s behavior. This does two things. One, it encourages self-reflection and promotes personal development by having to own up to one’s feelings. Two, it helps a person recognize the impact of their emotions and behaviors on the ones around them.
– The calming effect of horses on people helps to decrease the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Depression and anxiety are normal things to experience when going through addiction recovery making equine therapy a perfect fit.
– The non-verbal communication learned during equine therapy helps enhance a person’s relationships by increasing communication skills. The ability to pick up on non-verbal cues helps in all aspects of life, with friends and strangers, at work, or at home.
– Learning to care for the horse helps boost confidence and self-esteem and gives an individual a sense of accomplishment.
– The bond between humans and horses encourages trust, gives personal insight, and provides a sense of purpose.
– Equine therapy benefits physical health by increasing balance, coordination, and strength.
The Horse: A Holistic Healer
As you can see, equine therapy offers a unique and powerful approach to addiction recovery. By tapping into the strength, beauty, and sensitivity of horses, emotional and physical healing is possible. By providing instant feedback, instigating self-reflection, and helping build important life skills, equine therapy creates lasting positive changes for those in recovery. The bond between humans and horses encourages personal growth, trust, and emotional resilience, making it a powerful therapeutic tool. Whether it is reducing anxiety and depression or improving communication and self-esteem, equine therapy (often in conjunction with other therapies) can help a person break free from addiction and stay on the path to sobriety. Here at Diamond Recovery Centers, a Salt Lake City addiction rehab, equine therapy is an important holistic therapy incorporated into a customized, comprehensive treatment plan. If you or someone you know needs addiction services, consider equine therapy as part of your treatment plan. Healing can begin with the gentle power of a horse.
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