Finding Connection with Therapy Horses

Horses possess a remarkable ability to connect with humans: to comfort, teach and heal. A wide variety of people are helped through equine-assisted activities at centers across North America. Special needs children and adults, veterans recovering from physical and emotional trauma, and abused women and children are just a few examples of those who benefit from spending time with these exceptional equines.

Kate Storjohann is lead instructor at the Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian Program (MGHSE) in Talladega, Ala., where she works with deaf, blind and multi-disabled students. She has witnessed many examples of the healing power of horses, but one story stands out. She was teaching a blind, autistic student who in the three years she had been going to MGHSE, had not spoken to anyone there.

“I was working with her one-on-one about how to groom horses when something wonderful happened,” shares Storjohann. “As we brushed, I started to guide her hand over different parts of the horse and tell her what she was feeling. After a few minutes, she started reaching out on her own. I could tell she was beginning to take an interest, so I repeated the parts of the horse. Then she said, ‘Mane?’ I had never heard her speak before. Since that day, I can ask her to find the ear, eye, nose, mane, tail, and many other parts, and she can show me where they are.”

That student has progressed to using voice commands to her therapy horse when riding as volunteers lead and walk alongside. Storjohann says that students at MGHSE learn much more than horsemanship: they gain confidence and independence, learn teamwork, refine balance and motor skills, develop character, and discover that all things are possible.

Smiling Again

At Therapeutic Riding Incorporated (TRI) in Ann Arbor, Mich., Program Director Jennifer Beyer has seen her share of miracles worked by their horses. The TRI program offers mounted adaptive horsemanship classes, work-from-the-ground wellness sessions, and para-dressage lessons, to name just a few of their activities.

Beyer recalls many examples, but the story of one young man and his bond with TRI’s Quarter Horse gelding, B Smiley, illustrates the restorative abilities of an equine companion.

Liam had been a student at TRI for several years when ongoing neurological issues caused him to be hospitalized for weeks at a time, diminishing his strength and balance.

“With every hospital stay, Liam looked forward to time at TRI,” recalls Beyer. “Coming to the barn to see ‘his’ horse, B Smiley, became his motivation to get better and stick with physical therapy. Smiley has impeccable ground manners and loves attention. When the doctors gave him the ‘all clear,’ Liam wasn’t strong enough to ride, but he came to every lesson to groom and walk Smiley. Fast forward a year, and Liam is now strong enough to ride and has made great strides with improved balance. He and Smiley are still a team, both in and out of the saddle.”

Meet the Experts Jennifer Beyer is the Program Director for Therapeutic Riding Incorporated (TRI) in Ann Arbor, Mich., where she has been on staff since 2010. She is a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (CTRI); a bronze-level United States Equestrian Federation Para -Dressage Coach, and a Level 3 Certified Horsemanship Association Instructor of Riders with Disabilities (CHA-IRD). Kate Storjohann has been the Lead Program Instructor at the Marianna Greene Henry Special Equestrian Program in Talladega, Ala., since 2015. She first volunteered there as a high school senior, then was hired as an assistant instructor. She is a PATH Intl. CTRI, a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning, and a CHA-IRD.

What It Takes to Be a Therapy Horse

Beyer and Storjohann explain that their program horses come from various walks of life, but most often they hail from show, lesson barn and trail riding backgrounds. Both emphasize that to be considered, a horse needs to be sound and in current work because the job is both mentally and physically challenging. These equines work with a variety of students on any given day, and their gaits need to be even, their minds calm and willing, and their bodies able to hold up to the work.

Beyer says that there is a misconception that adaptive riding horses simply give glorified pony rides.

“This is not a cushy retirement opportunity, but a rewarding assignment for sturdy, patient and well-loved horses,” she says. “Above all else, we seek horses that have friendly, people-pleasing personalities.”

A great therapy horse is sound at the walk, trot and canter, and the quality of the horse’s movement is what benefits the participants the most, according to Storjohann.

“We utilize a wide range of input [from the] movement from our horses,” she says. “With some of our students, it is preferred that the horse have a low amount of movement as they learn to ride and acquire a proper seat. In other cases, more exaggerated movement is needed to stimulate a rider and meet their sensory needs.”

Other qualities that Beyer and Storjohann look for in ideal horses for their therapy programs:

◆ Trained, adult horses (ages 5-18 for TRI and 8-20 for MGHSE)

◆ Height range between 14-16 hands, with some exceptions

◆ Healthy, sound, a negative Coggins test, and up to date on vaccinations, deworming, dental and farrier care

◆ Rhythmic gaits; able to smoothly transition from one gait to another

◆ Comfortable being handled and ridden by a wide variety of people

◆ Good ground manners; leads, ties and stands well

◆ Stands quietly for mounting and dismounting

◆ Respects human leader’s personal space, and tolerant of multiple sidewalkers

◆ Accepting of beginner riders; tolerant and even-tempered so a student riding may be safely led around an arena

◆ Obedient to both voice and leg aids

◆ Accepting of assistive devices and equipment (wheelchairs, walkers, et cetera)

◆ Able to calmly deal with new sights, sudden sounds, and unexpected/uneven movement by the rider

◆ Must display “therapy heart” and show enjoyment in their work.

Other selection criteria may vary from program to program. For example, TRI uses some gaited horses with good results, whereas MGHSE does not accept gaited horses.

They both advise that horses with dangerous habits (i.e. bucking, kicking, biting, rearing, bolting, spooking) or horses that stumble regularly are not well-suited to this job.

It’s important to note that the qualities that make a great therapeutic riding horse may differ from a winning para-equestrian competition horse. To win nationally and internationally in para-dressage, for example, may require bigger, flashier gaits and more contact.

Donation & Training

Both MGHSE and TRI accept donated horses, and also purchase a few horses, but ask for a trial period in each case. Visit their websites for more information.

“Donating a horse to a therapeutic or adaptive riding program will change the lives of people with disabilities,” says Beyer.

Program horses go through training and desensitization exercises once they arrive, as well as refresher courses as needed. They are regularly conditioned and also get “vacation time” to decompress.

English actress Pam Brown said, “Horses lend us the wings we lack.” Talking about her students, Storjohann puts this in perspective.

“They are no longer restricted by their disabilities,” she says. “There is a freedom that can only be experienced on the back of a horse. Our students understand it best.”

This article about therapy horses appeared in the November/December 2023 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Therapy Horses: Equine Miracle Workers appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Are you in the market for a new career? Equine assisted services (EAS) centers across the U.S. are reporting job openings for qualified applicants.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to pursue this industry; it is growing, and it’s very rewarding,” says Carol Young, CEO of Healing Strides in Boones Mill, Va.

What are Equine Assisted Services (EAS)?

People are often surprised to learn the depth and breadth of EAS. The Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH Intl.) describes EAS as an umbrella term that includes offerings in therapy, horsemanship and learning.

Therapy can only be provided by licensed physical, occupational, or recreational therapists, speech and language pathologists, and counselors or psychotherapists. The requirements for these careers are spelled out in their specific education and licensing requirements.

These licensed professionals either have equine skills or team with someone who has equine skills. They are the only ones who can use the term “therapy” in the descriptions of what they provide.

To pursue a career in therapy, you first must attain a degree and licensure in your chosen profession. If you’re interested in any of the therapy careers, explore which ones might be a good fit for you. The American Hippotherapy Association can provide more information on how to combine those degrees with horses.

Horsemanship and learning are non-therapy activities.

Horsemanship is provided by qualified therapeutic/adaptive riding instructors and can include mounted or unmounted activities. These non-therapy options could include riding, competitions, therapeutic driving, interactive vaulting, and ground lessons.

Learning focuses on mounted or unmounted experiential activities provided by trained professionals, such as teachers and life or executive coaches who are also therapeutic/adaptive riding instructors, or team with someone who is. These non-therapy options could include focuses on education, corporate organizations, leadership or personal development.

Support Careers

The saying “it takes a village” applies perfectly to EAS. Many roles help bring people and horses together in an EAS program. These support career opportunities are equally in demand.

“Barn staff is challenging to keep,” says Lynnette Stuart, CEO of Fieldstone Farm Therapeutic Riding Center in Chagrin Falls, Ohio. “The positions that are most difficult to fill are those that require certification or equine experience, because everyone’s interpretation of equine experience is very different.”

Kitty Stallsburg, CEO of High Hopes Therapeutic Riding in Old Lyme, Ct., has also noted that some roles are harder to staff than others.

“Volunteer management positions are the most difficult to fill for our program,” she says.

A wide range of job titles can be found on websites of EAS centers across the country. A quick search to look at staff job titles provides a sampling of career opportunities in equine management, volunteer management, program management, training and education, communications, fundraising, grant writer, or CEO/Ed.

New titles, such as digital marketing director or equine well-being monitor, are also appearing. Each of these positions requires a specific skill set.

Skill Sets

Horses, donkeys, mules, ponies, and Miniature Horses are all equines that can be found making a difference, and without them there would be no programs. The people who partner with these special equines require broad knowledge and horsemanship skills.

These skills can be obtained through life experience and/or obtaining education at a university in an equine field of study. Universities offer degree programs, minors, and concentrations in EAS, in addition to a variety of equine degrees. 4-H, United States Pony Clubs, horse camps and riding lessons all help educate a knowledgeable and skilled horse person. It can’t be stressed enough that in-depth equine knowledge and horsemanship skills will make for a stronger job candidate and a more effective and safe EAS program.

Therapeutic/adaptive riding instructors require skills in equine management, horsemanship, instruction, teaching methodology, and disabilities. Detailed requirements can be found at pathintl.org.

Specific criteria can also be found for interactive vaulting, therapeutic driving, and equine specialist in mental health and learning (ESMHL) instructors. These criteria can guide you on your career journey.

The more diverse your skills, the more marketable you will be. Often two skill sets can be paired into one position. Examples of staff with a diversity of skills include a barn manager or volunteer coordinator who teaches several EAS classes; a caretaker covering the receptionist role on weekends; or a head instructor who is also the grant writer.

“A career as a therapeutic riding instructor was sustainable for me because I had the education and experience to begin in the EAS industry as a head instructor and then program director,” says Lili Kellogg, CEO of Equest Therapeutic Horsemanship in Dallas, Texas.

Where to Start

Since EAS has more opportunities than most people realize, where should you start? First, learn by doing and volunteer at a local EAS program. Shadow different personnel and experience a program in action. Participate in lessons as a horse-leader or a side-walker, assist a volunteer coordinator, or participate in a fundraiser.

Be prepared to relocate to find your dream job and best culture fit.

“Potential candidates need to be open to relocation, plan for it, prepare for it, and ask for help,” says Amy Tripson, logistics manager for ROCK Equine Therapy in Georgetown, Texas. “Centers are motivated to find staff and you’re motivated to find a job, so work together to reach that goal. Be flexible, talented and driven.”

Join professional organizations to keep abreast of this fast-paced industry. Examples of organizations to follow are the Horses and Humans Research Foundation (HHRF), PATH Intl., the Certified Horsemanship Association (CHA), and Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International (HETI).

Being current will help you follow the industry trends.

“Lots of Baby Boomers are retiring,” says Lynn Petr, CEO of Shangri-La Therapeutic Academy of Riding (STAR) in Lenoir City, Tenn. “Many of the Boomers hold top positions with higher pay rates. Focus on adding needed skills for those positions to your portfolio.”

Additionally, you can check out educational offerings through organizations, colleges, and universities to help decide a professional course of action.

Dana Butler, CEO of the Shea Center for Therapeutic Riding in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., sums it up:

“A career in equine assisted services is answering a call. That call is to service, to excellence, to the horse and its innate power, and to be of service to persons who need what we offer as a profession. You will change people’s lives for the better.”

The post Working and Volunteering in Equine Assisted Services (EAS) appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Tom Mannigel didn’t know much about horses until his wife, Diane, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Thanks to an equine-assisted therapy program offered at a nearby PATH-certified facility (Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International), he now knows first-hand that horses can be valuable collaborators when it comes to meeting stress and depression head on, as well as improving the pair’s relationship.

“I’m not really a horse person,” says Mannigel. “I grew up in rural California where everyone had horses, but every time I’d get on ‘em, it was basically a disaster. However, after we took part in the program, things started to get better in our relationship.”

Innovative Programs

The Mannigels took part in the Kids and Horses PATH program in Minden, Nev.

PATH-certified facilities, instructors and other professionals use equine-assisted therapies geared toward individuals who have special needs. Recently, programming at some PATH-certified facilities has diversified to include equine-assisted therapies for veterans and others coping with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Kids and Horses is just one of the PATH- sanctioned facilities that uses a program developed by Connected Horse to help individuals and their caregivers navigate the physical flood of emotions connected to the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias.

“I was intrigued,” says Cat O’Brien, Kids and Horses program director and a PATH-certified instructor. “I live in a community of retirees, and I believed it would be an asset to our facility.”

According to Connected Horse co-founder Paula Hertel, MSW, combining the two programs has turned out to be a perfect fit.

“There is a mission alignment with many PATH barns and Connected Horse: We believe the horse/human connection provides benefits to both horse and participant,” says Hertel. “We are advocating that Connected Horse is ideal for people with dementia because it doesn’t require traditional verbal communication.”

According to Hertel, the Connected Horse program focuses on mindfulness, emotional and sensory triggers, and understanding. Horses used in the program allow the person diagnosed with dementia and their caregiver all communicate on the same level.

“The horse is really the teacher,” she says.

Benefits for Caregivers

The horses had a profound impact on caregivers as well, as Hertel and co-founder Nancy Schier Anzelmo discovered in their program-connected research.

“Care partners often experience feelings of being overwhelmed, anxious, depressed and frustrated with the situation in which they find themselves,” Schier Anzelmo explains. “The Connected Horse program helps the care partner and the person who has been diagnosed with the grief and depression that comes after an initial diagnosis.”

In fact, those were exactly the emotions that swept over Leticia Metherell when her mother Maria Murguido was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2017.

“I don’t know if you would call it depression, but there was a deep concern of losing my mother and the impacts this [diagnosis] would have on my family,” recalls Metherell. Along with her mother, she took part in the Connected Horse program offered by Kids and Horses in June and July of 2022. “Also, perhaps a selfish part of me thought about my risks of getting Alzheimer’s and what impact her diagnosis would have on my life.”

In order to cope with her own feelings and those her parents were experiencing, Metherell scoured the internet for something that would provide meaningful activities for the pair. She came upon the Kids and Horses program during one of those searches.

“I was skeptical when I first attended the sessions because I didn’t think they were going to make a long-term impact,” she says. “I don’t think I really had a true understanding until I attended the program and experienced it for myself.”

But she discovered that the horses taught the humans important things about communication and connection.

“There definitely is a form of communication happening between people and horses [that is] influenced by our own moods, body posture, attentiveness, and tone of voice,” says Metherell. “The horses also communicate with us via their responses, whether they come to you, walk by your side of their own accord, or allow you to groom them. This is such an important lesson, because as the ability of my mother to communicate reduces as her disease progresses, these lessons help me understand that there will always be a connection there, and that a verbal interaction is not always necessary for it to be a deep and meaningful interaction.”

Physical Benefits for Patients

The PATH/Connected Horse synergy has physical benefits, too, says Tineke Jacobson, a physical therapist, PATH-registered therapist and hippotherapy clinical specialist at the Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center in Orinda, Calif.

Jacobson found the Connected Horse program in 2018 while searching for a program that was using horses to assist in the treatment of dementia.

“There was a growing interest in serving adults in our community when it became apparent that horses have exceptional talents with unmounted activities,” she explains.

The Connected Horse program was a good fit for Xenophon, which already offered equine-assisted physical and occupational programs for children and adults.

Jacobson credits working with horses not only with an ability to emotionally lift people out of a depressed state, but she says that the physical benefits of the interactions between humans and horses are just as profound.

She remembers one person who took part in the Connected Horse program at Xenophon.

“His gait was characterized by slumped-over posture, looking at the ground, short stride length—all signs of decline due to aging, depression and maybe also dementia,” Jacobson recalls. “When he was given the lead rope to walk with the horse, the horse did not respond to his cues of a verbal ‘walk on.’ Only when he straightened up, looked ahead, and made a large, decisive stride after a deep inhale to expressively say ‘walk on,’ did the horse respond and walk with him wherever he wanted to go.”

The Impact of Equine-Assisted Therapy

Whether its impact is physical or emotional, Metherell says that she will never forget what she learned from the horses at a very difficult time in her life and in the lives of her mother, father and other members of their family.

“Working with horses has helped bring me an emotional awareness, which helps deal with stress and feelings of sadness,” says Metherell. “[This helps me] better understand nonverbal communication and find gratitude in my life. It’s also a shared experience that [my mother and I] can both fall back on when times are hard, and reminds us each day of all the things we have to be grateful for.”

Mannigel agrees.

“I really can’t explain it, but [my relationship with my wife] has changed,” he says. “I don’t know if she’s less anxious because I’m less stressed or if I have less stress because she’s less anxious. All I know is that since we [worked] with the horses, our relationship is better.”

This article about equine-assisted therapy helping Alzheimer’s disease patients appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post How Equine-Assisted Therapy Can Help Alzheimer’s Disease appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

On August 8, the deadliest wildfire in the United States in more than a century raced across Maui. The flames, stoked by powerful winds from Hurricane Dora and a high-pressure system north of the island, reduced much of the historic town of Lahaina to ash. Though little could have been done by first responders to stop the flames as they raced east, the heartache and despair felt by Lahaina citizens is real — and one woman, her team, and 14 horses are dedicated to helping them heal.

Paige Deponte, founder of Spirit Horse Ranch, is no stranger to trauma — it’s been the driving force behind the creation of her nonprofit that focuses on helping adolescent and teen victims of abuse address their trauma in a holistic manner, integrating both emotional and psychological aspects of healing.

It became strikingly evident that more than just children needed help after the Maui wildfires.

“There are more than 7,000 people in hotels and interim housing,” Deponte says. “And there has been an increase to more than 500 domestic abuse calls each month since the fires.”

The magnitude of recent events and the depth of people’s distress is manifesting itself in a myriad of negative ways. Knowing that they could help, Paige threw open her barn doors to anyone who had been affected by the fires — children or not.

“What happened in Lahaina wasn’t just the loss of people,” Deponte says. “But the loss of [people’s] entire lives. Their businesses were in Lahaina, their friends and their community… that’s all gone.

All wildfire survivors are grappling with their losses. Some are navigating the system and hoping to rebuild their lives in Lahaina; others feel the overwhelming reality of the arduous rebuilding process. With environmental challenges and cost increases, some Lahaina residents may feel pushed out.

The people involved in the fire are trying to process so many emotions, Deponte says.

“They’re experiencing things like pain, loss, grief and overwhelm; they’re feeling scattered, and confused,” Deponte says.”They feel rage and a loss of identity… the list goes on. I had people come to me who said, ‘I saw things in Lahaina that I don’t want to tell a single soul.'”

The ability to give voice to traumatic experiences is incredibly important to the healing process — it’s the first step in manifestation or forward motion. “They tell the horse what they want… what they really need in their life right now. Once you talk about it out loud, you can manifest it. It’s incredibly powerful for the mind,” Deponte says. “I knew that the horses could hear them. The horses would lift that burden.”

Spirit Horse Ranch uses Trauma Informed Equine Assisted Service, which focuses on partnering with horses to provide a healing environment. What Deponte has found, however, is that many fire survivors simply need a place to grieve. “Some [people] just lay on the horses and they cry. The horse holds space for them,” Deponte says.

Those at Spirit Horse Ranch encourage not just those who lived through the fires to come and heal, but also anyone who was affected emotionally, especially those first responders who were on the front lines trying to save people and structures.

Meeting people where they are is one of the core tenets of equine assisted therapy. “We say ‘Where are you right now?’” Deponte says. “Your response or reaction to trauma today is what we work with.” Many of those who lived in Lahaina had beautiful lives they loved, explains Deponte, and now that’s just gone. “Their mind struggles to handle it.”

Paige — and her 14 four-legged team members — is helping heal all Maui residents affected by the deadly Maui wildfires and showing them that life can be beautiful again.

Click here to learn how you can help Spirit Horse Ranch in their efforts.

This article about Spirit Horse Ranch’s efforts to help those affected by the Maui wildfires is a web exclusive for Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Spirit Horse Ranch: Helping Heal Maui Residents Affected by Wildfire appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Welcome to Barn Banter, the official podcast of Horse Illustrated. In Barn Banter episode 10, hosts Susan Friedland and Raquel Lynn chat with Lauren Reischer, equestrian coach at Special Olympics New York. Next, they catch up with Victoria Nodiff-Netanel, the founder of Mini Therapy Horses. Finally, they take a closer look at Charlie Brown, August’s Adoptable Horse of the Month.

Click to listen on mobile.

Listen to Barn Banter episode 10 now to meet Lauren and Victoria. Plus, hear about our ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse of the month, Charlie Brown, from the ASPCA Equine Transition & Adoption Center in Oklahoma.

Title Sponsor: Straight Arrow Family of Brands

Lauren Reischer

Lauren Reischer, 24, was born with cerebral palsy and started therapeutic riding at age 3 by the recommendation of her surgeon after a reconstructive hip surgery. After “graduating” from therapeutic riding, she took to riding recreationally and competitively with hunter/jumper barns on Long Island, Ny. In 2021, she graduated from Brown University, where she co-captained their NCAA Equestrian Team and earned her bachelor’s degree in education and public policy.

Following her graduation, Lauren worked as Director of Development at Special Olympics New York (SONY), where she raised money to help create the Summer Show Series. This program gives the equestrian athletes of SONY the opportunity compete alongside the larger hunter/jumper community at ‘A’ shows in their own signature equitation division. Although she now works in public relations at the American Thoracic Society, she still spearheads the SONY equestrian program and turned professional in September 2022 to continue growing this program and cultivating the next class of riders with disabilities.

◆ Lauren’s Instagram (@laurenreischer)
◆ Lauren’s Facebook

Victoria Nodiff-Netanel, founder of Mini Therapy Horses

From pretending to be a horse as a kid in Wisconsin and painting realistic horses after graduating from the California Institute of the Arts to competing in dressage at the Intermediate levels, Victoria Nodiff-Netanel has always known the magic of horses. After many years of competing in dressage, Victoria shifted gears when she acquired Quicksilver’s Black Pearl, a Miniature Horse. While “Pearl” was initially purchased as a pet, Victoria’s horsemanship skills helped the two of them form an incredible partnership. In 2008, armed with a passionate love for not only horses but also helping others, Victoria began conducting equine-assisted therapy visits at the West Los Angeles VA Medical Center with her teammate, Pearl. That same year, Victoria officially established Mini Therapy Horses.

Since its start 15 years ago, Mini Therapy Horses has grown immensely. Now with a team of ten Miniature Horse mares, Victoria has expanded her program to many more local health centers such as Shriners Children’s Southern California, UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center and UCLA Santa Monica as part of the UCLA People-Animal Connection, UCLA Stuart House, the L.A. Ronald McDonald House, and the L.A. Department of Children and Family Services. Additionally, Victoria and her Minis are members of the L.A. Mayor’s Crisis Response Team and the L.A. Sheriff’s Youth Foundation. They also visit many local schools, senior living facilities, rehabilitation centers, community events and more.

◆ Official Mini Therapy Horses website
◆ Mini Therapy Horses’ Instagram (@minitherapyhorses)
◆ Mini Therapy Horses’ Facebook (@minitherapyhorses)

Featured Adoptable Horse

On this episode of Barn Banter, Tom Persechino from the ASPCA Equine Transition and Adoption Center in Oklahoma tells us about this month’s ASPCA Right Horse adoptable horse of the month, Charlie Brown. Charlie Brown is celebrated as the 500th horse the ASPCA Equine Transition and Adoption Center has positively impacted since its inception in 2019!

At 32 inches high, this Mini Horse comes with a massive personality and stellar rock-star looks. He is 10 years old and full of spunk, but also ready to nuzzle at a moment’s notice. Charlie Brown is healthy but is on a daily dose of Prascend to treat Cushing’s. Through no fault of his, his owner had to relinquish him when life circumstances changed.

Learn more about Charlie Brown here.

Title Sponsor of Barn Banter

We want to thank our Title Sponsor, the Straight Arrow Family of Brands, makers of Mane ‘n Tail, Cowboy Magic & Exhibitor’s, with over 100 years of grooming excellence. For more information about your favorite products, visit straightarrowinc.com and find Straight Arrow Products at a tack shop near you!

In addition to Barn Banter episode 10, you check out all previous episodes of Horse Illustrated’s podcasts.

The post Barn Banter – Episode 10 from title sponsor Straight Arrow Products appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The horses of Angel Reins are bringing hope and healing to victims of human trafficking.

When we think of therapeutic work with horses, traditional programs for people with physical challenges are what usually come to mind. But in recent years, equine therapy has been expanding to include those with mental health challenges, including survivors of one of the worst traumas a person can face: human trafficking.

Also Read: The Best Therapy

Hope Through Horses at Angel Reins

Angel Reins Stable, located on 40 acres in St. Augusta, Minn., is a 501(c)3 nonprofit providing a place of hope and healing for victims of human trafficking with the help of a gentle herd of rescue horses.

These women have suffered not only physical trauma, but also mental abuse. For some, they are not ready for traditional talk therapy, and being able to just be with horses can start to heal and unlock their hearts.

“We find that rescue horses are good for this kind of therapy because they, too, have been through trauma and are able to mirror the women’s emotions,” said Kathy Zachmann, the program’s founder and director.

“In all honesty, sometimes they just like to get the country air, to breathe, to brush their horse, [and] to talk and cry to their horse, and that’s OK,” says Zachmann.

Being at Angel Reins gives the women the chance to forget about the past and their pain and just be with the horses. The women feel safe because the horses are honest and don’t ask or expect anything in return.

In the words of one of the program’s participants, “When I’m out here, I feel like I’m 12 years old and I don’t have any worries in the world.”

This article about Angel Reins appeared in the June 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Angel Reins: Where Horses Bring Hope to Human Trafficking Victims appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

The symptoms seem to come out of nowhere. The day feels fine—normal even, if there is such a thing. And then your heart begins beating faster. Breaths are a little shorter. You look around for a chair or something to lean against because of lightheadedness. One symptom appears to trip another one, like a cruel game of dominos, and the most basic human functioning feels nearly impossible with these hurdles in the way.

This is life for someone with anxiety attacks. Occasionally, the triggers look obvious, but they are more often so subtle that the person suffering might question their own sanity, leading to greater overall anxiety.

A Starting Point

“Anxiety is an invisible ailment,” says Missy (not her real name), 18, a teenager who suffers from anxiety. “People think you are crazy or ‘difficult’ when all you want is the ability to just do normal things without this—this thing—following you around.”

For many people who suffer from generalized anxiety, depression, or even more severe forms of mental illness, horses have been therapists, of sorts. Equine-assisted mental health therapy is a growing field where, under the guidance of a licensed therapist, a patient works with a horse and uses equine-assisted therapy to develop mindfulness and feel more grounded in daily life.

“Horses give biofeedback,” says Mallory Wheeler, clinician and director of the Mustard Seed Ranch in Tennessee. “I’m not going to say that it’s unconditional love or nonjudgmental, but it’s honest. Horses pick up on our emotions. If a patient is disengaged or angry, the horse will tell you that. It creates better awareness for both them and for the clinician.”

Wheeler offers both residential and outpatient equine-assisted therapy for patients ages 12 and older.

“We focus on building relationships for our patients,” she says. “They have experienced trauma and rejection, so we start with building relationships with horses.”

Learning Communication

Many of these patients are children or teenagers who have been trafficked and have serious trust and boundary issues with others, unsure of what the concepts of reasonable and safe even look like.

“We’ll work on communication,” says Wheeler. “The patients might not know how they present or come off, but if they communicate in a passive way or an aggressive way with a horse, the horse will give them feedback; then we can have a discussion. ‘Is this how you communicate with your family or your peers?’ Then we work on changing the communication style with the horse so that it feels more connected. They feel that more profoundly than if we just talked about it—it resonates with them in their journey.”

Wheeler provides an example of a girl with “extreme anxiety,” who was able to lower her heart rate and shed some emotional baggage during her time riding. Both horse and rider stayed very calm during the entire ride.

For those with more intense therapeutic needs, horses still provide a refuge. Joanie C. is a mother to Sarah (not her real name), a girl she adopted as a toddler. The child had been in foster care after enduring emotional, physical and sexual abuse.

“Sarah had been hyper-vigilant about so many things, and her psychiatrist was a horse person. She suggested we try using horses to reach her,” Joanie says.

She describes going to a ranch run by the SaddleUp! Foundation in Elizabeth, Colo.

“A woman there told Sarah to stand close to the horse so she could feel his heart beating,” Joanie explains. “Sarah learned that just like her, this creature had feelings and could be calm or scared. This helped so much with empathy and compassion.”

Sarah learned to love horses and became involved with the Interscholastic Equestrian Association and Pony Club. Her story, however, is peppered with continued struggles as she frequently ran away from home and used drugs.

“She’d always run away to horses,” Joanie says. “That’s where she felt safe. She trusted the horses more than people.”

The dynamic between human and horse is different from the dynamic between humans and other animals. First of all, there is the size of the animal.

“If you can create a healthy boundary between yourself and a 1,200-pound animal, you can then think about how to develop boundaries with people,” says Wheeler.

Joanie also points out that being prey animals, horses provide another opportunity for empathy.

“These children have been preyed upon,” she says. “That is the tie-in. They understand that trust is not automatic.”

Working Through Life

Rebecca Sheriff runs horse centers in both Colorado and northern Wisconsin. Their mission is to work on emotional development in emerging adults and develop workplace readiness

“We want to help them become whole and effective people,” Sheriff explains. “I know how horses have helped me in my life, and I want to offer that to others.”

Her Deer Valley Ranch in Colorado offers camps that help young adults ages 18 to 25, as well as veterans.

“We talk about trying to navigate through life via horses,” says Sheriff. “Some people get a very spiritual experience, and other people just want to be outdoors. After a year of being locked up from the pandemic and only connecting to people over devices, people want to connect to nature again.”

She says that their feedback is mostly qualitative. People talk about the relationship they have with their horse, and they often want to continue riding.

“The horse world can seem inaccessible,” Sheriff says. “But this is a way in.”
Joanie points out that they had to lease horses for years for their daughter before purchasing one.

“It made our lives so much better,” she says. “Horses have been the best therapists for her.”

This article about equine-assisted therapy originally appeared in the August 2021 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post Equine-Assisted Therapy for Mental Health appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Cari Simmons faced her share of challenges during her 25-year career in the U.S. military, but none of them compared to becoming a female military veteran struggling with anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. After grappling with these conditions for years, Simmons, who had some previous experience as a trail rider, turned to horses to help her cope.

“I was formally diagnosed in 1996, but suffered for longer than that,” says Simmons, who retired from the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel. “I knew the power and healing of horses, so I looked for a program that used horses for therapy.”

When she set out to find an equine assisted therapy program that was created for U.S. military veterans just like her, Simmons quickly discovered that her options were sparse—if not non-existent.

“I was originally searching for a program for veterans and was pretty peeved when they said they only took men,” Simmons recalls. “Finally, they referred me to Serenity Ranch.”

Equine assisted activities and therapy (EAAT) have long been used to help male military veterans cope with PTSD and related conditions. As a result, the vast majority of established EAAT programs focus on men and how the conditions manifest in them.

Starting Something New

Serenity Ranch was established after Micah Fink, co-founder of Heroes and Horses, an equine assisted program for male combat veterans, turned to his neighbor, Lisa Ledoux, for help accommodating the increasing number of female veterans who were applying for his program.

“The Heroes and Horses program is pretty intense—veterans go up into the hills to camp and perform back-country outdoor skills—and they don’t have a program for women,” says Ledoux, the chief operating officer for Serenity Ranch. “We decided to explore putting together a program specifically for women that used a more retreat-like approach.”

The Ranch program plan was hatched after Ledoux and her family inherited a 71-acre property near Bozeman, Mont., from her stepfather, himself a military veteran with a long history of working with horses. A total of 43 horses—some rescued and some bred on site—reside on the property and play a role in the ranch’s programs.

By 2018, Serenity Ranch launched its pilot program designed specifically for female military veterans, as well as for women who serve as law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders.

According to Ledoux, the aim of the program is simple.

“Our aim is to help women cope with PTSD and other conditions by developing new ways to approach these problems,” Ledoux says.

How It Works

To do that, Serenity Ranch Program accepts between six and eight women to spend seven days and six nights at the Ranch, and pairs them with horses based on their size, equine experience and personality.

“The women are responsible for the horses’ care, feeding, grooming, riding, and just spending time with them,” Ledoux explains.

When they are not working with the horses, the women take part in mindfulness activities such as yoga, journaling and sharing the experiences that bought them to the program in the first place—including sexual trauma connected to their military service.

“It’s like a shark tank,” Simmons says of the military. “Most [in the military] are men, and women have to work harder and complain less than their male counterparts; also, there is a certain macho-ness that women must develop in the military or other professions that are still male-dominated. When women did speak up, you’d get the eye-roll—’Here we go again.’”

For Simmons, the ability to talk out her experiences with other women was key to making peace with the depression and anxiety connected to them.

“Our group of female vets, representing every branch of the service, ranging [in age] from 20s to 50, decided to bunk in all together on cots in the guest cabin,” she recalls. “The sharing, caring, and late raw emotion that was exchanged when we crashed after the long days was really impactful.”

The Courage to Move Forward

Long after her career as a combat veteran in the U.S. Army ended, Katherine Jordan grappled with the physical challenges of a significant back injury. Emotionally, she was haunted by depression and anxiety connected to service-related sexual trauma. Even so, the decision to get help was not an easy one to make.

“I was also turned down by the Heroes and Horses program, but I was ready when they told me about Serenity Ranch,” Jordan recalls. “At some point, you just say to yourself, ‘Get help.’”

Once she did, opening up to other program participants was challenging in itself.

“I was so petrified, because I think there is still so much stigma around women and mental health,” she says. “I was scared of speaking up because I was afraid of sharing my story—people don’t believe you—[they] look at you and say, ‘That couldn’t have happened.’”

Once she opened up, others did, too.

“It’s hard to be the first one, but I just decided that it was time for me to say something,” says Jordan. “Just one person has to speak up, then other people open up, too.”

But it takes more than talking to resolve—or even acknowledge—the residual issues that plague some of the female veterans who come to Serenity Ranch. Many struggle with a lack of confidence and physical changes to the way they look and perceive themselves and those around them.

“When these women were in the military, they were fit and confident,” Ledoux points out. “When they come to us, they are often overweight and less confident; they want to be invisible. Some of these women don’t even want to get out of bed.”

Working with the horses changes all that, Ledoux says.

“For example, when we teach them to back a horse out of their space, the women often start looking down with a hunched-over posture and they wonder why the horse won’t back up,” Ledoux explains. “We teach them to stand up tall and to be confident when they approach the horse, and when they see the horse move, they become more confident too.”

Benefits of the Program

There are other benefits, says Jordan, who was an experienced horsewoman when she arrived at Serenity Ranch.

“If you have experienced trauma, horses pick up on what’s happening with you emotionally,” Jordan points out. “Also, there’s something about women working with a large animal that can be intimidating—you have to manage yourself and still have a positive relationship with the horse.”

Like some other equine-assisted therapy programs, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected Serenity Ranch, causing the facility to suspend programming until further notice.

When it does resume, Ledoux hopes to expand it to serve other female survivors, as well.

“In the past, our clients have been referred by veterans’ groups and social workers,” Ledoux explains. “But grieving women, abused women, and women dealing with breast cancer can all benefit from this program, too.”

In the meantime, Simmons and Jordan have moved on from Serenity Ranch and into careers: Jordan now works as an EAAT therapist for Easter Seals in Arizona. Simmons, who also pursued EAAT credentials, is now studying to be an equine masseuse and acupuncturist.

While both women credit the program with the ability to work through service-related issues over the short term, Simmons also believes that the Serenity Ranch experience is much longer-lasting.

“I found acceptance, empathy, lack of judgment, and camaraderie in ways I have never experienced from my brothers-in-arms,” Simmons says. “I keep in touch with the women to this day. It’s lifelong friendship.”

This article about the Serenity Ranch equine therapy program appeared in the October 2020 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post For Women Only: Serenity Ranch’s Equine Therapy Program for Female Veterans appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.

Bud Kamrud has been challenged by muscular dystrophy (MS) all of his adult life. But once a week he is free of the disease’s limitations thanks to a therapy horse named Claude and the staff at the Colorado State University (CSU) Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) Program.

“My legs are pretty much useless and I spend most of my time in a wheelchair,” says Kamrud. “Equine assisted therapy helps strengthen my core and stretches my legs in a way that I would not be able to do any other way.”

Kamrud, who has been riding once a week for the better part of 20 years, is among the more than 50,000 men, women and children who, according to Professional Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship International (PATH), participate in equine-assisted therapy programs across the U.S. This therapy helps them cope with a range of physical and mental challenges, including MS, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and Alzheimer’s disease.

Horses in Transition: Finding the Right Horses

Horses used in those programs represent a variety of breeds, but nearly all are what are considered “horses in transition,” donated by owners whose animals have moved on after having successful initial careers.

“We get our horses from a variety of sources, but generally they are retired from careers as hunter/jumpers and other [disciplines],” says Janet Mayberry Laughlin, interim executive director of Dream Catchers at the Cori Sikich Therapeutic Riding Center in Virginia. “We also have a couple of veterinarians who may have clients who can’t ride anymore or their kids are going off to college, and they think the horse would be a good candidate for us. We also have a trainer who is always looking for horses that are appropriate for us.”

Other horses move on to EAAT programs from the Dumb Friends League Harmony Equine Center in Franktown, Colo. The center takes in horses seized, removed or surrendered in law enforcement cases, and currently supplies all the animals for the Temple Grandin Equine Center at CSU, according to Harmony’s Director Garret Leonard.

Once Harmony horses arrive at the Temple Grandin Center, they’re paired with students pursuing degrees in equine science, according to Adam Daurio, Esq., the Center’s director of administration and outreach. The students spend four or five months preparing the animals to participate in EAAT programs, including the one at CSU.

While most of the horses arrive at the Center already trained to halter, lead, load and ride, their student handlers assess how well the animals tolerate routine grooming and tying. At the same time, they desensitize the horses to a variety of sights and sounds they may encounter on the farm.

“We generally know within two sessions if the horse is appropriate for an EAAT program,” Daurio says.

Those that do make the grade participate in a variety of EAAT programs, including therapeutic classes in which people learn to ride, generally at the walk and trot levels, says Sharon Butler, DVM, a certified therapeutic riding instructor at the CSU Equine Science Department.

EAAT: Learning to be a Therapy Horse

As part of these classes, horses are exposed to various toys and games, riding patterns, and trail riding around the CSU Equine Center. Meanwhile, therapy horses may also take part in hippotherapy sessions as part of another program where physical and occupational therapists encourage their clients to improve their physical and cognitive functions by riding.

“These sessions also involve games and toys to encourage the clients to reach and stretch,” Butler explains. “These sessions may have the client sitting astride, facing backward or even lying across the horse’s back to give more input as part of the therapy.”

And while therapy horses may be of any breed or discipline, they all must have a unique skill set, says certified hippotherapist Brent Applegate, HPCS. Applegate is the owner of My Heroes, LLC, which has programs at CSU, the National Western Stock Show in Denver, and the Chastain Horse Park in Atlanta.

“They must like people and they have to be able to cope with everything that we put them through,” Applegate explains. “For example, former show horses are accustomed to being around other horses and around people and noise, and former polo ponies are good at [EAAT] because they are used to noise and having riders hanging off to their sides.”

Mustangs in Service

But not all therapy horses have had human-centered careers. Some, like the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Mustangs used by the BraveHearts Equine Assisted Therapy Programs in Illinois, have traded the range for a more domestic life.

In 1978, wild horses residing on ranges in the western U.S. were federally protected and placed in the care of the BLM. That agency conducts gathers aimed at maintaining the sizes of wild herds and puts some of those gathered horses in its adoption program. BraveHearts has adopted its team of Mustangs from the BLM.

“BraveHearts uses [both Mustangs and domesticated] horses in transition for its therapeutic riding, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapies that use hippotherapy as a treatment strategy,” says Meggan Hill-McQueeney, BraveHearts’ president and chief operating officer (COO). “Our Operation Mustang also helps veterans cope with PTSD and combat-related physical disabilities.”

Veterans gentle the formerly wild horses as well as doing ground activities, driving and riding. Army veteran Mitchell Reno believes the horses changed his life.

Reno served two tours of duty in Afghanistan when he landed in a veteran’s hospital in Chicago with a broken back, a broken neck and addictions to alcohol and prescription drugs. After a fellow veteran encouraged him to visit BraveHeats’ facility, Reno joined the program, doing everything from cleaning stalls to gentling Mustangs.

“I’d do anything to be around the horses,” he recalls. “I’d be there from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shoveling out stalls, feeding, bringing horses in and out—whatever they needed.”

Two years later, Reno credits the Mustangs with helping him find his way though PTSD-related depression and anxiety, as well as the long-term effects of his physical injuries.

“People are depressed because they’re focused on the past, and they’re anxious because they’re focused on the future,” says Reno. “The Mustangs are special because not only do they force you to be in the moment, but because they know fear—of helicopter roundups, of people handling them. They have a lot in common with us. I lost my wife and my children, and these horses gave me back everything I had lost.”

Equine Assisted Therapy: A True Connection

Likewise, Bud Kamrud believes that the horses at CSU are enhancing his quality of life in a way no human therapist could. According to Kamrud, the EAAT program at CSU helps him not only get the physical exercise he needs, but encourages him to socialize with other EAAT clients and equine science students too.

He believes the connection with horses and humans is transformational.

“I suppose that a physical therapist might be able to give me exercises to do to help me, but I probably wouldn’t keep up with them. As it is, there have been days when I’ve said, ‘Maybe I don’t want to go through all this to get on the horse,” says Kamrud, who uses a special ramp and lift to mount the horse.

“But it makes me feel good that I can do this. Besides, Claude looks out for me. Really, I’m very fortunate.”

This article about horses in transition through an EAAT program originally appeared in the July 2018 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!

The post The Best Therapy appeared first on Horse Illustrated Magazine.