Frequently Asked Questions
”What will I learn?
Learning about such large animals, and how to feel and be safe around them is just the beginning.
What happens in an equine therapy session?
Typically, a session involves all the normal components of a counselling session [building rapport with the client, finding out what their goals for the session are, whether anything has changed since the previous session, formulating suitable interventions, experimenting with these, getting curious about the client’s top-down and bottom up responses – what they are thinking and what they are feeling, noticing any body-language or verbal discrepancies, providing psycho-education, integrating the learnings and completing the session].
But it really depends on how the client shows up – and what their goals are.
Our activities are designed to be done with the horses rather than to the horses. They can range from the contemplative (such as being in the presence of the horses, observing the herd, approaching and connecting with the horses) to more physical, such as moving with them, touching them, haltering and leading, grooming, providing care, playing, navigating challenges, and even riding.
Generally, our sessions will also include what we call ‘horse-ed’ – information about the horses, their behaviours, needs, preferences, individual differences, and practical skills – how to be safe, how to communicate, read horse language, use halters and lead ropes, influence the horse, etc.
And we also incorporate ‘psycho-ed’ – information about ourselves, what might happening psychologically, self-awareness, somatic resources to help us cope with big emotions, understanding our nervous system, normalising responses to challenging situations etc.
Do clients need prior experience with horses?
The most amazing sessions happen with clients who are completely new to horses. The beginners mind is a wonderful thing, they can be more curious, and don’t have any preconceptions based on their own experiences.
How do you tailor equine therapy sessions to meet the needs of different clients, such as children, veterans, or individuals with disabilities?
Apart from practicalities based on physical attributes – such as not pairing small children with big horses, sessions are planned based on the individual client’s goals, and how they show up on the day. It’s great to have a session plan, but we must be prepared to change it up.
Can you share a memorable story or example of a client who experienced a significant breakthrough or transformation through equine therapy? Cam, Ashwin
The sorts of big breakthroughs that you see in the movies don’t happen that often. A client beginning to speak when they’ve been situationally non-verbal, or having a big insight around their anger, or realising that they are in fact a worthwhile human being are all goals. The most noteworthy breakthroughs are the ones that don’t necessarily show up in a session – they happen when the client can generalise what they’ve experienced into their day to day lives, such as being more confident at school, or standing up for themself in the workplace without becoming dysregulated, or even being confident to progress into more intensive psychological therapies, if that’s what they want.
What are the Benefits?
Physiological benefits of equine therapy include stress reduction, increased interoception and improved motor skills. There’s some research around physiological benefits in some populations, including reduced vasopressin and cortisol, and increased oxytocin and heart rate variability.
Psychological benefits include increased self-awareness, insights into relationship problems, understanding of nervous system responses, and improved emotional regulation. We also see measurable reductions in symptoms of mood disorders and trauma. Agency, autonomy, identity formation.
Physical benefits
Communicating non-verbally requires us to use new movement patterns involving all the senses. Being with a horse allows us to experience regular rhythm patterns and bilateral ‘crossing the midline’ movement, which is especially for people who might have some developmental delays.
Neurological benefits
From a neurological perspective, being in the presence of healthy horses impacts our nervous system responses. We experience powerful co-regulation of our nervous systems. Trusting our gut, understanding our window of tolerance and developing resources to cope with feeling dysregulated are important life skills.
New research indicates there positive functional and structural changes to the brain for people with PTSD who engage in equine therapy.
Psychodynamic benefits
Sometimes we incorporate psychodynamic practices, which help clients develop insights around their unconscious processes. We will acknowledge the horses relationally (which is an important part of the C Horses ethos) but will also encourage processing around what they symbolise, their archetypes, and the metaphors they invoke.
Social skills benefits
Horses provide unique, unconditional support and a safe space for you to share your feelings and concerns.
Working with the horses can help you to develop:
- Effective communication skills
- Healthy coping mechanisms
- Skills to support healthy nourishing relationships
- Confidence
- Self-worth and self-esteem
- Self-awareness
- Self-regulation and responsibility
- Skills for life
- Leadership and parenting skills
- Compassion and self-acceptanc
Existential benefits
Presence and awareness is enough. When a horse chooses to be with you
Agency is not dominance
IS EQUINE-ASSISTED THERAPY EVIDENCE BASED?
There is a growing body of evidence supporting that equine assisted mental health sessions have been effective in treating individuals with personal and psychological concerns, including:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Eating disorders
- Bullying
- Substance abuse and addictions
- Depression and anxiety
- Stress
- Autism
- ADD and ADHD
- Relationship difficulties
- Attachment issues, including adoption adjustment
- Low self-esteem
- Negative behavioural issues.
How is equine assisted therapy different?
It’s a way of working that can make engaging in therapy more attractive and enjoyable for people.
It’s an approach that allows the therapist to integrate established models of treatment, such as CBT or DBT or EMDR, by using experiential learning activities in a natural environment.
Most importantly, it’s very much a somatic therapy – it’s not all about talking and thinking, it involves the whole body which provides rich opportunities for self-awareness around feelings, emotions and relationship patterns.
Have there been moments where the horses surprised you in how they connected with clients?
Horses are so incredibly attuned to what people want, need, expect. You can’t train it. For instance, quite often when a client arrives – they will call out, whinny or nicker at the client – it’s as if they know the person really wants to be noticed, and liked and to connect. If you pay attention, they’ll also provide calming suggestions, signals if the person is having some big feelings – even if these are just on the inside.
What are some common misconceptions about equine therapy?
I think there are a few misconceptions –on the one hand that the horse is a sort of mystical healer with special powers that make them co-therapists, or that they are an object to be used in therapy for the client to project onto or do things to. The most effective therapy comes from letting horses be horses, and helping the client develop a unique relationship with them.
Another misconception is that just being with horses is therapy – and for many people it is certainly therapeutic – but it’s not technically therapy unless the practitioner is an allied health professional with appropriate education and qualification. And while at present, in Australia, someone can hang up a sign and advertise that they’re doing equine therapy, without any specific training , just because they have a few horses, this is very likely to change.
What challenges do you face in your work, both with horses and clients?
On a business level, making this therapy affordable, accessible and meaningful. On a practical level, maintaining the therapy space – dealing with weather, being on my feet all day! In terms of challenges with clients – it can be hard to end a session – they just want to be with the horses – and ending therapy when it is time to move on.
How do you address fears or anxieties clients may have about working with horses?
I validate client’s fears and anxieties – horses are big and can seem scary if we don’t understand what they are doing and thinking, and why they behave in certain ways. I ensure they are physically safe – we only go into a horse’s space when the client is absolutely ready. I provide them with lots of digestible horse-ed – about their body language, and facial expressions. Essentially, I hasten slowly – to use an old horseman’s term.
How do you see equine therapy evolving in the future? Are there new techniques or research shaping the field?
I’m really excited about the direction this field is heading. The increasing professionalism, and being involved in educating practitioners for Equine Assisted Therapy Australia is a big part of that for me.
The changes we’re seeing – and driving – are aligned with the more person centred, trauma-informed ways of working in mental health – helping pout clients take more responsibility and ownership of their mental and physical health. Getting outside in nature, off screens and endless doom scrolling is part of this, and learning experientially is really gaining traction. The ethical treatment of horses and their wellbeing and acknowledging their sentience is also becoming a big factor in the research and delivery of equine therapy.
What role do you think equine therapy can play in addressing broader societal issues, such as mental health crises or trauma recovery?
The processes in equine therapy can bring us back to our shared humanity across cultural and social differences and belief systems. We get to be seen, heard, felt and got by a horse, which helps us get to know our true self, our unique individuality, without judgement or shame, we are also held by the herd – we get to experience being part of something bigger and more powerful than ourselves. It allows us to explore new ways of being in relationships – with individuals in our lives, and with our systems such as school, medical, work etc. Most trauma is experienced in the context of interpersonal relationships, – being hurt, being neglected, being let down by people, so we develop adaptive defences to our human relationships that can be hard to break through in conventional therapy.
How can people advocate for or support equine therapy programs in their communities?
I’m really pleased that we have more trained and experienced practitioners, in metropolitan areas as well as regional and rural areas. Something we are doing here at C Horses is collaborating more with health professionals – GPs, psychiatrists , physical therapists, OTs as well as care teams – so that equine assisted therapy is part of a client’s overall therapeutic plan. We are also doing more group programs, and involving schools and educators, and homeschooling parents for social anxiety and neurodiversity.
What do you hope viewers take away from learning about equine therapy?
I think it’s important to know that when delivered by a qualified professional, equine therapy is safe, fun and effective.
What has working in this field taught you about the human spirit and the bond between humans and animals?
Working in this field has taught me about myself. It has also taught me that the more we know, the more we don’t know – being with my horses and dogs and really seeing them, and helping others understand them makes me realise what a privilege it is to be allowed into their world – to see the world just a little bit – from their perspective. It gives me hope, optimism. It lets me see the best of people, as their authentic selves.