Horses Heal
Animals provide companionship,
help us deal with life in general, and help us heal. It only
seems natural to think about animals and the mutually beneficial
relationships we can share with them. As
I was researching a story about horse vaulting last month, I asked Facebook friends and followers if
they had stories to tell about animals in their lives.
One friend, who took care of his father before he passed, told me that he trained his dog Ruby to "check on Dad". When something was wrong, she would bark. This is an example of a dog supporting the son but I'm sure she was also comfort and love to Dad as well.
I'm convinced my own dog Joey is an empath. I am always interested to see who he will sit by when people are in the house and having a conversation. Often it is a visitor he doesn't really know. I think he sits by the person he senses needs a friendly spirit by their side. He doesn't bug them at all, just sits quietly. They often reach down and pet him as they talk. He has a comforting, peaceful presence.
It is not only our house pets that calm and heal us but also farm animals and sea life. I have discovered that chickens are used as therapy in nursing homes, pigs make great companions, and fish swimming calmly in an aquarium is relaxing. Even a spider can calm and heal if someone finds comfort in the arachnid life. Watch a spider build a web -- quite relaxing.
Horses helping people heal
Let's talk specifically about the healing power of horses. New Mexico is a popular home for horses and their human companions, and there are many organizations that offer services to help people heal and find peace in life by building relationships with horses. Just looking online, I was able to find quite a few, including the following:
Riders of the Sage in Santa Fe (http://www.ridersofthesage-nm.com/) offers equine assisted healing. It is run by Jane Davis, licensed master social worker. According to the website:
"Equine Assisted Healing is a modality using horses to promote emotional, spiritual and physical growth without ever getting on a horse...Participants often feel like they should be comfortable around horses to participate in equine assisted healing. In reality, even those who are uncomfortable around horses, have extraordinary experiences."
Cowboy Up!, also in Santa Fe (https://www.horsesforheroes.org/) is another horse therapy program, staffed entirely by volunteers and funded by private donations. According to the website:
"Cowboy Up! is a unique horsemanship, wellness and Skill-set Restructuring™ program based in Santa Fe, NM free to ALL post 9/11 Veterans and active military (both men and women) especially those who have sustained PTSD*, physical injuries, or have experienced combat trauma during their time serving our country.
From day one Veterans are hands on with our horses, beginning with groundwork and progressing to riding, as well as participating in other aspects of ranch life, including working cattle and more importantly experiencing the camaraderie with cowboys who are Veterans themselves."
Loving Thunder therapeutic riding in Rio Rancho (https://lovingthunder.com/) specializes in helping special needs children and adults, veterans, foster children, and kids "without disability". According to their website:
"We have riders age 4 and older with a variety of life challenges. Some of those challenges are Autism, Down Syndrome, developmental delays, ADD & ADHD, spinal defects, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and many more. We will design a therapeutic riding lesson to fit your rider and all of their needs."
There are more places in New Mexico to find services such as these, providing kind, gentle horses to those who need to heal or just want that kind of relationship in their life. What's nicest of all is that you don't have to know how to ride to benefit.
One friend, who took care of his father before he passed, told me that he trained his dog Ruby to "check on Dad". When something was wrong, she would bark. This is an example of a dog supporting the son but I'm sure she was also comfort and love to Dad as well.
I'm convinced my own dog Joey is an empath. I am always interested to see who he will sit by when people are in the house and having a conversation. Often it is a visitor he doesn't really know. I think he sits by the person he senses needs a friendly spirit by their side. He doesn't bug them at all, just sits quietly. They often reach down and pet him as they talk. He has a comforting, peaceful presence.
It is not only our house pets that calm and heal us but also farm animals and sea life. I have discovered that chickens are used as therapy in nursing homes, pigs make great companions, and fish swimming calmly in an aquarium is relaxing. Even a spider can calm and heal if someone finds comfort in the arachnid life. Watch a spider build a web -- quite relaxing.
Horses helping people heal
Let's talk specifically about the healing power of horses. New Mexico is a popular home for horses and their human companions, and there are many organizations that offer services to help people heal and find peace in life by building relationships with horses. Just looking online, I was able to find quite a few, including the following:
Riders of the Sage in Santa Fe (http://www.ridersofthesage-nm.com/) offers equine assisted healing. It is run by Jane Davis, licensed master social worker. According to the website:
"Equine Assisted Healing is a modality using horses to promote emotional, spiritual and physical growth without ever getting on a horse...Participants often feel like they should be comfortable around horses to participate in equine assisted healing. In reality, even those who are uncomfortable around horses, have extraordinary experiences."
Cowboy Up!, also in Santa Fe (https://www.horsesforheroes.org/) is another horse therapy program, staffed entirely by volunteers and funded by private donations. According to the website:
"Cowboy Up! is a unique horsemanship, wellness and Skill-set Restructuring™ program based in Santa Fe, NM free to ALL post 9/11 Veterans and active military (both men and women) especially those who have sustained PTSD*, physical injuries, or have experienced combat trauma during their time serving our country.
From day one Veterans are hands on with our horses, beginning with groundwork and progressing to riding, as well as participating in other aspects of ranch life, including working cattle and more importantly experiencing the camaraderie with cowboys who are Veterans themselves."
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| New Mexico is home to many horses |
"We have riders age 4 and older with a variety of life challenges. Some of those challenges are Autism, Down Syndrome, developmental delays, ADD & ADHD, spinal defects, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injuries, and many more. We will design a therapeutic riding lesson to fit your rider and all of their needs."
There are more places in New Mexico to find services such as these, providing kind, gentle horses to those who need to heal or just want that kind of relationship in their life. What's nicest of all is that you don't have to know how to ride to benefit.
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