horse therapy, equine assisted learning, healing horses |
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horse therapy, equine assisted learning, healing horses |
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Case Studies |
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Case Study 4 Last month I told you about my horse, Cowboy. Now I'm going to tell you what his new career is. He is a people specialist in the bold new field of Equine Assisted Psychotherapy. This new job of his is hard to explain so I am going to make up a story to give you an idea of what Cowboy is going to do. The assignment is simple, put the halter on Cowboy. The task is enormous. In order to touch Cowboy he cannot be angry, and this is a very angry young man. He is angry because he is here, he is angry because his parents don't trust him, he is angry because he has to do something very stupid and people might laugh at him. Finally he is angry because the horse hates him. He knows this because every time he grabs that halter and head towards Cowboy, Cowboy turns away. 12 am.- A little blonde girl, hair hanging over her face , shuffles in. The sunlight now bakes the roof of the barn. The dust is even to tired to swirl and forms a layer above the ground, like a semi invisible second floor. Her history is beyond what anyone else in the room can imagine. She is here because her parents have spent hours, days and months trying to repair the damage. The body is healed, the mind fearful and walled up like a Edger Allen Poe tale. Trust is a word she is not old enough to understand, human touch she barely tolerates. Cowboy’s job is harder this time. He has to give trust. He has to read past all the fear and pain swirling around the family and stand still. As everyone stands in the shade, talking back and forth about how to hold a curry comb and basic safety rules, there is a soft puff of air on back of the little girls neck. She cries and spins, then freezes, eyes wide, heart pounding. There is a huge brown head eye to eye with her. The humans stand motionless, seconds that seem like hours pass tick. tick, tick. A small hand slowly reaches out, one little finger traces the star on his forehead. A soft little voice “Mom he likes me". As she continues to trace the pattern on his head, her other hand wraps around her mothers finger. Tears stream down her fathers face. It has been almost a year since she reached for anything. One simple step for a gelding, a crack in the wall for a child. 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, horses provide vast opportunities for metaphorical learning. Using metaphors, in discussion or activity, is an effective technique when working with even the most challenging individuals or groups.
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