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Equine Assisted Therapy
Why Horses?

Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is an emerging field in which horses are used as a tool for emotional growth and learning. EAP is a collaborative effort between a licensed EAP therapist, a horse, and a client. EAP is intense, effective, and experiential in nature.

Anyone who has spent much time with a horse will recognize and understand that horses influence people in incredibly powerful ways. Developing relationships, training, horsemanship instruction, and caring for the horses naturally and positively affect the people involved.

Clients who work with horses experience other benefits as well. They develop a work ethic, learn responsibility, cultivate assertiveness, develop communication skills, and foster healthy relationships. The use of horses is growing and gaining popularity in the field of experiential therapy.

Why horses? Why not other animals? Horses are large and powerful, which creates a natural necessity for participants to overcome fear and develop confidence. The size and power of the horse are naturally intimidating.

Accomplishing a task with a horse requires confidence and provides for wonderful metaphors when dealing with other intimidating and challenging situations in life. Most importantly, horses have the ability to mirror exactly what human body language is telling them. Many people will complain, "The horse is stubborn. The horse doesnt like me," etc. But the lesson to be learned is that if they change themselves, the horses respond differently. Horses are honest, which makes them especially powerful messengers.

Horses require work, whether in caring for them or working with them. In an era when immediate gratification and the "easy way" are the norm, horses require people to be engaged and persevere in challenging physical and mental work, a valuable characteristic in all aspects of life.

Horses are very much like humans in that they are social animals. They have defined roles within their herds. They would rather be with their peers. They have distinct personalities, attitudes, and moods. An approach that seems to work with one horse does not necessarily work with another. At times, they seem stubborn and defiant. They like to have fun. In other words, they are like us!

Horses provide vast opportunities for us to learn about ourselves. Interacting with horses in a therapeutic environment is effective with even the most challenging individuals or groups.

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