Why Horses

WHY WORK WITH HORSES?

Horses are highly attuned animals. They offer safe reflection and compelling feedback for the fears and anxieties military clients may face. This is especially true for those suffering from trauma, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) or Military Sexual Trauma (MST). In the hands of our professional facilitation team – a licensed mental health professional and a certified equine specialist – the horses’ unique sensitivity aid clients to understand their own internal processes and create new perspectives.

We collaborate with freely moving horses to deepen the healing experiences, personalized insights, and outcomes. Clients learn from the horses’ natural instincts and communication skills. They meet us in the moment, as we are, creating heartfelt awareness. This offers the opportunity for clients to “get out of their head” and rewrite their stories! Horses respond to subtle shifts in energy and thoughts, which allows for our clients’ stories to unfold. When we can see, touch, relate with and move through our stories, internal changes occur.

When our stories change, we change!

One aspect of our work is to gather pre/post assessments to establish validating data / research. Of 105 Veterans, who completed anonymous assessments after 8 sessions of ground based mental health treatment with horses:

73% of these Veterans experienced PTSD symptom reduction
63% of these Veterans experienced PTSD symptom reduction that represents a reliable response to treatment (reduction of 5 points or more)
A reduction in PTSD symptoms was an average of 11.4 points and this was clinically AND statistically significant p < .001
48.6% (almost half of that sample) showed a clinically significant reduction of PTSD symptoms (reduction of 10 points for more)
This was all accomplished even though the average number of sessions was only 6.7 sessions as opposed to 10-12 sessions which is the standard in the current Evidence Based therapies for PTSD!

“All of the participants symptoms were reduced as a result of the program, but what was also evident was the accelerated rate at which this occurred. ”

Dr. Rusty Reynold Reynolds, VA – Medical Center Psychologist

HERD DYNAMICS HELP CLIENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR OWN LIVES

Observing the dynamics of a herd of horses can help clients better understand the dynamics of their own family, military unit and community. It allows for a positive model for fostering collaboration, support and trust. The horses provide an emotionally safe way to work through and strengthen relationships in life – whether it be within themselves, others, their beliefs, or the environment.

FOSTER RESILIENCE IN TIMES OF HIGH STRESS

Our services are based on experience and doing. The treatment sessions re-create life experiences, including those involving frustrations, high stress, and relationship problems. The sessions provide opportunities for service members and their families to re-discover their resources and their strengths. They acquire positive skills, fostering a new context for civilian life after deployment and/or military service. In-the-moment feedback from the horses is gained, thus promoting healing.

BREAK THROUGH BARRIERS TO CARE

Clients experience activities with horses that remove much of the perceived stigma associated with traditional talk therapy treatment methods. When treatment is about doing, it is more engaging. Engagement increases impact! Data confirms that this population is more likely to start and complete treatment with this model, with less dropout and recidivism than traditional talk therapies. Military clients repeatedly attest to how quickly and deeply they get to the root of their issues and subsequent meaningful changes.

DISCOVER REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS TO THE TOUGHEST CHALLENGES

Clients find their own solutions to the struggles in their lives. They build on their resilience and learn through self-discovery. This ensures clients will become more successful in both military and civilian life.