In a world often dominated by screens and fast-paced living, a growing number of people are finding solace and healing in the company of horses. Equine-assisted therapy, or EAT, is gaining recognition as a powerful tool for addressing a wide range of mental, emotional, and physical challenges. It’s more than just riding; it’s a profound connection that fosters growth, self-awareness, and well-being. Let’s take a look at how it helps…
What Is Equine-Assisted Therapy?
EAT involves working with horses and trained professionals to achieve specific therapeutic goals. Unlike traditional horseback riding lessons, the focus is on the interaction between the individual and the horse, rather than riding skills. These sessions can include activities such as:
- Grooming and handling: Building trust and developing communication skills
- Leading and observing: Learning about non-verbal cues and understanding behaviour
- Arena work: Participating in activities that promote problem-solving and emotional regulation
- Riding (sometimes): For some, riding can be a part of the therapeutic process, but it’s not always the primary focus
What Makes Horses Unique?
Horses possess a unique ability to mirror human emotions. As prey animals, they are highly sensitive to their environment and the subtle cues of those around them. This sensitivity allows them to:
- Reflect emotions: Horses can mirror a person’s emotional state, providing immediate feedback and increasing self-awareness
- Provide non-judgmental interaction: Horses don’t judge or criticise. They offer unconditional acceptance, creating a safe space for vulnerability
- Promote mindfulness: The presence of a horse can bring individuals into the present moment, reducing anxiety and stress
- Facilitate physical and emotional regulation: Working with horses can help to regulate the nervous system and improve emotional control
- Build confidence and self-esteem: Successfully interacting with a large animal can be incredibly empowering
Who Can Benefit From Equine-Assisted Therapy?
EAT has shown positive results for individuals facing a variety of challenges, including:
- Anxiety and depression: The calming presence of horses can reduce stress and improve mood
- Trauma and PTSD: Horses can help individuals process trauma and develop coping mechanisms
- Autism spectrum disorder: EAT can improve social skills, communication, and sensory processing
- ADHD: Working with horses can enhance focus, attention, and self-regulation
- Substance abuse: EAT can provide a supportive environment for recovery and relapse prevention
- Physical disabilities: Therapeutic riding can improve balance, coordination, and muscle strength
- Social and emotional difficulties: EAT can help individuals develop empathy, communication skills, and healthy relationships
The Power Of The Herd:
The herd dynamics of horses also play a crucial role in therapy. Observing and interacting with a herd can provide valuable insights into social interactions and relationships. Learning to navigate the herd’s social structure can translate into improved interpersonal skills in daily life.
Equine-assisted therapy is more than just a fun activity; it’s a powerful and transformative experience. The unique and beautiful connection between humans and horses can facilitate healing, growth, and a deeper understanding of oneself. So if you’re looking for an alternative, or complementary therapy, why not consider the healing hoofbeats of equine-assisted therapy.
By Brinkwroth Ltd: Lower Mount Farm, Cookham
My 12yr old son is in the transition stage of moving schools from mainstream to a specialist setting, as he is diagnosed with Autism and ADHD which has seen him slip through the cracks of education. He has been home schooled for the past 5 months as a traditional classroom setting causes him to feel easily overstimulated, in need of frequent feedback and instructions from adults to keep him on track, with a busy mind and even busier hands and legs. His innate desire to move about and explore the world around him makes sitting at a school desk in silence for 6hrs all but impossible, and sadly mainstream schools are simply not equipped to handle the individual needs of neurodivergent children.
Autism is in fact his superpower! Despite his sweet age of 12yrs, he is working at the equivalent of A-Levels in History and Maths, before even having selected his GCSE’s, let alone starting them. His hyper focus allows him to absolutely consume himself in topics and areas of interest without distraction, with the flip side of this being the things which do not interest him are a struggle for him to even entertain, let alone thrive in.
As a keen historian, he has started his own museum of antiques in our home, with a mighty collection that he hopes to one day open to the public, with a focus on WW1 and WW2. He discovered the movie War Horse (2011) which is set in WW1, about a teenage boy who forms the most beautiful bond with his horse and the trials that they go through at such a troublesome time in history. From this movie, my son became fascinated with horses and is mesmerised by them passing us on country roads or galloping around in fields from afar. He so desperately wants to be near them.
His eyes lit up when he asked me if he could visit a stables to meet with, and tend to horses, and so I began looking around to see what was available in our local area for children with special educational needs which is when I came across By Brinkworth Ltd. in Cookham. Just a short drive from our home, we spent the most wonderful afternoon at the livery with founder Emma, as she walked us through a typical day with her horses and allowed my son to have a hands on experience with tending to and caring for them.
The sheer feeling of peace that washes over you in the presence of horses is almost indescribable. They are such majestic, calm and gentle animals that instantly put you at ease, bringing your awareness to the present moment and allowing you to just be. Short, sharp and stressful breaths instinctively become slow, deep and relaxed as you can feel the tenseness and stress from the chaos of life melt out of your muscles.
To say that my son was able to remain focused at the stables is an understatement, as his struggles in the classroom were entirely absent in the fields, with silence and text books replaced by sunshine, fresh air and a healthy dose of Mother Nature. Not only was he emotionally at ease, but also able to exercise until his heart was content with such confidence and a sense of accomplishment as Emma so very kindly, and patiently, walked him through each of the daily tasks to tend to her beloved horses. It’s as if he had grown up in the blink of an eye, as he brimmed with enthusiasm and appreciation for the respect and kindness that he was shown.
When children with special needs are treated with love and respect they absolutely flourish, and as soon as they are scolded, told off or criticised they retreat back into themselves, are triggered and begin stimming through anxiety and overload. All people should communicate on a one-on-one basis, with love and kindness, rather than in such a disjointed, anonymous and automated way that society has become. If we were all a little more like animals, at ease and non-judgemental towards others, how wonderful the world would be.
One of the most noticeable traits of the horses were their peace, affection, patience and understanding towards children. It was as if both the horses, and my son, could sense one another’s acceptance and non-judgement, and because of this there was an unspoken friendship which blossomed. Despite it being the first time he met these lovely horses, they lowered their head to him, nuzzled into him and stood proud and at ease as he patted, stroked and tended to them under Emma’s watchful instruction.
To the beautiful trill of birdsong, beneath stunning blue skies and sunshine, my son was free from over stimulation, had no access to screens or wifi, felt no chaos or fear, experienced no expectations, received no scolding and felt that he was no longer different to others around him. He was free to be himself, and he thrived.
His experience at the stables allowed him the ability to freely move about and lift feed buckets, push wheelbarrows, stuff hay bags and feel “super strong” and healthy. He befriended so many horses, as well as dogs and the pets of others who came and went throughout the day, dropping onto his knees to speak to, praise and pet each and every one that he passes.
He was able to make friends with animals big and small, to show unconditional compassion towards others alongside a sense of responsibility, trust, appreciation and respect that he is often denied in social settings due to societal norms, ignorance or stressed out teachers tasked with instructing a class of thirty teenagers.
At the stables, time stood perfectly still as we lost ourselves in absolute peace and sheer happiness. It made my heart swell as a mother to see my son thrive and shine so brightly with the horses; he quickly learned all about caring for and tending to them, was free and able to ask hundreds of questions about everything from breeds, measurements, regimes, diet and the average lifespan.
Emma is so incredibly patient and kind, resonating sheer warmth and unconditional love for her animals that extends outwards towards all who she meets. She is a fountain of knowledge for all things equine and her physical strength is outstanding – as joining her for a day at the stables I soon realised why she’s never needed a gym membership! Tending to horses is a physically demanding role which takes pure love, dedication and motivation that most people lack in day to day life. It’s not just a hobby to own a horse, it is all consuming, and clear to see why so many love and cherish this precious time and environment so much. Each field is a little slice of unspoilt heaven and so uplifting to be around.
Emma was incredible with my son, it warmed my heart to see how supportive, understanding and nurturing she was towards him, which is such a stark contrast to the harsh and anonymous education system who would rather reactively punish a child for not following rules rather than attempt to understand their individual needs or be proactive to prevent over stimulation.
Whilst some children work well in silent and sedentary settings with textbooks, others may require more question and answer style scenarios to learn, visual instructions, live demonstrations or interactive and vocational tasks. In one afternoon my son was able to experience a wealth of education from measuring out fractions of horse feed, vitamins and mixes, the history and biology of working and show horses, to physical education in lifting hay bales and food containers, pushing, loading and unloading the wheelbarrow, picking from the fields, brushing and grooming the horses, shoe picking, putting on the horses rugs and leading them to the stables for their final feed of the day before bed.
Whether a child is neurodivergent or not, this experience is phenomenal for their mental health, wellbeing, confidence and self esteem. I’ve never witnessed my son being so active for so long, enthusiastic and free to be himself without the worry of being told off or doing something wrong. He listened so intently to Emma, was so willing to help with each task, and couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear each time that he touched, looked at or interacted with a horse – for which there were many!
As a parent, I would love to see more charitable programmes supporting such experiences with horses and children, as I believe that every child should be treated as an individual and able to flourish in an environment where they are comfortable, free and able to be themselves. Supporting a child with both autism and ADHD requires a multifaceted approach, as sensory processing, executive functioning and social interactions may vary; horses are able to adjust to this and calm a child’s impulsivity, encourage them to focus and hold attention for a greater period of time whilst reducing stress and anxiety.
Whether a child’s attention span is low through over stimulation, electronics or boredom, the minimal distractions of the stables teamed with being immersed in the glory of nature quietens the mind and allows children to stop, breathe and pay attention to the present moment. The stables and fields were bathed in golden spring sunshine, free from noise and pollution, chaos, playground bullies or relentless timetables. It was absolute escapism to nurture the soul and restock our endorphins.
The hands-on approach to each task at the stables made such a refreshing change from daily life, schedules and routines. Each area of the stables has a designated task from feeding to cleaning, grooming and training which made each activity so exciting and fascinating to learn about.
To simply spend an afternoon away from traffic jams, to not hear car horns honking, loud music, people arguing, bright lights or screens droning on was bliss. Instead we followed Emma’s instructions step-by-step for each task as she demonstrated what we would do next, why it is an important process in caring for a horse and how best for us to undertake it with her should we wish to assist. My son loved asking her questions, touching, handling and learning to use new equipment, sensations and skills and didn’t ask to stop or take a break once – although we enjoyed our sandwiches and fruit juice in the sunshine after he agreed he could wait ten minutes before moving onto the next task. If he had it his way he would have swept with a sandwich in his hand in order to not miss out on a single second!
Being around horses provides such positive reinforcement for children with the reward of affectionate and joyful interactions as the horses merrily walk up to you to nuzzle as you pass by, place a chin on your shoulder, stand proudly by your side and ask sweetly for a pat or stroke as they enjoy the sunshine. The body language and peaceful energy of the horses instinctively reflect upon yourself, making you want to move more slowly around them, as you feel unhurried with kind intention.
It’s the most surreal experience to be amongst horses when you’re used to rushing here, there and everywhere throughout your day, constantly multi-tasking and living on autopilot. To be around horses is so beautifully grounding and we had the most fantastic day. Whether you participate in a horse therapy session, volunteer as a stable hand or book a riding lesson, every moment spent with a horse is such a precious and uplifting experience. We had the most fantastic afternoon and cannot recommend Emma and By Brinkworth Ltd. more highly.
My son has now set his heart upon volunteering at stables more frequently in order to be around horses on a regular basis, and hopes to one day own a horse of his own. If his attitude, behaviour and sheer happiness are anything to go by from today then we’d best get saving; how different a persons reality can be in an environment where they are understood, at ease and able to thrive without judgement or criticism. I wish everybody could experience the gift of the afternoon that we shared in together at By Brinkworth.
By Brinkworth Ltd.
Lower Mount Farm, Long Lane,
Cookham, Maidenhead SL6 9EE
Facebook: /ByBrinkworthLtd.
