Flying Changes: magazine for northwest sporthorse enthusiasts

Horses have walked beside us for at least the last 8,000 years. The horse first trotted onto the evolutionary scene about 55 to 38 million years ago. At that time our little Labrador-sized, five toed Eohippus was then known as the “dawn horse.”

We find our little Eohippus trotting through history, gaining height and speed to keep it ahead of the hungry lions. During this time, she evolved from five toes to one hoof to ensure speed and flexibility when running for her life, and bonding with others of the developing species to create a herd of free-ranging grazers, (the original grazer that eats all day long, but never one full meal), and forming a cohesive society organized by each animal’s role in the herd. Equus developed into an animal with an acute sensory instinct for danger, metaphorical wings for flight, and its own culture of non-verbal communication.

Post domestication, our little dawn horse literally grew into Equus caballus, which is what she is called today and as she has trotted beside us as an integral part of our society, the horse has accompanied us on the evolutionary timeline in work, transport, sport, agriculture, and war as well as peace. We know this through literature, with tales such as Black Beauty, the Knights of the Round Table, Alexander the Great, and famous desert steeds told in tales of romance and intrigue (Who hasn’t read The Black Stallion?) Art has also preserved out noble nag in symbolic form—in statues and painting portraying the generosity, courage, beauty, intellect, intuition and dynamic power of our four-legged friend.

As a result of its evolutionary role as a prey animal, the highly intuitive and sensitive horse is capable of reading the intent of an approaching human (a once upon a time predator) through a human’s body language, unspoken intent and Ki (chi) energy (anxious, tense, scared, relaxed, angry, happy). Our intent is a reflection of our own thoughts, desires, and fears, fueled by the paradoxical puzzle of our family of origin, blended with the culture in which we grew up, genetics, traumatic life experiences, and the influence of society—be it a small town in Iowa or Brooklyn, New York. We stand before the herd with the backpack of me, while a horse who does not dwell on the past or plan on the future, lives in the present moment aware in the now and summing up the situation at hand.

Due to a rich herd life (which can parallel family life) in an organized social hierarchy, replete with distinct equine personalities, moods, and attitudes, horses have an exceptional ability to read non-verbal communication—they see through the mask that protects us emotionally. An example of this ability can be seen any place where humans and horses gather. If you are in a foul mood but arrive at the barn smiling, your foul mood may become apparent when you engage in an equine activity. You might find your horse detached from the exercise, or just plain difficult. We say the horse is having a bad day, but if the hoof could point…But what if we were to change our thoughts, attitudes or behaviors—ditch the bad mood for a healthy dose of gratitude? The horse intuitively reading the authentic behavior may react differently towards the exercise. In therapy, the horses’ response to an individual’s intent and behavior at that moment can bring awareness of current self-defeating patterns. Horses can help people reveal their own stories, gain insight into their own issues, process painful experience, and change inappropriate behaviors.

Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) is a field of experiential psychotherapeutic treatment offered to help people grow emotionally through the collaborative effort of a mental health professional, a horse specialist, and a herd of horses working with clients to address mental health goals. Experiential means that participants learn about themselves and others in the moment through metaphors that emerge by participating in an activity with the herd. The participant then processes these metaphors into their thoughts, beliefs, behaviors and patterns about themselves (Eagala Training Manual p.13). According to Kersten and Thomas, pioneers in the field of Equine Assisted-Psychotherapy, “Metaphorical constructs are the primary mechanism utilized for change (Irwin & Weber, 2001; Karol, 2007; Kersten & Thomas, 1999).” Researcher, Sarah K. cited four target areas in facilitating the metaphor: (1) using metaphors to explain a horse’s behavior (what is the horse running away from?); (2) analogous language to discuss props or tools (what does the halter mean to the horse and what is your halter in life?); (3) clients relating life lessons learned (what does it mean that you all walked to get the horse over the obstacle?); and (4) clients inferring lessons learned in coping (when we work through our obstacles, we succeed) (Kakacek & Ottens, 2008).

EAP is one of two (the other is Equine-Assisted Learning) therapies developed by the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA). Founded in July 1999, EAGALA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization developed to address the need for resources, education, and professionalism in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy and Equine Assisted Learning. The focus of EAP is unmounted and all members of the team adhere to a strict code of ethics.

Equine assisted psychotherapy recreates life situations through planned activities with the horses. The activities are experiential and structured to focus on the treatment goals of the client. For example, a treatment goal for an individual that has problems with setting limits might be an activity called Backoff, where the goal is to have a horse back up in three different ways: by using a halter/lead rope, by using touch with no halter/lead rope and by no touch and no halter/lead rope. The idea is to have the individual think about how they set limits and ask people to back off. Prior to the activity, the individual would be asked to predict the easiest and the most difficult of the three ways. Afterwards the therapist and individual would process the outcome of the prediction, and the metaphor of the halter/lead rope, to exploring the difficulties the person has in setting limits in their life. (EAGALA Training Manual 1, p.92). The activity allows the individual to work with his struggles, problem solve, and practice experientially new ways of living.

Unlike traditional therapy set in a small room with bad lighting, the EAP model is an interactive, out-in-the-barn experience with funky smells, tactile tales and an array of sizes in horses, ponies, drafts, and minis. The activities allow the individual, couple, or family to be active-in-the-moment, re-creating metaphorical life situations without the rules people use to cope such as touch, bribes and talking. When people are pushed, shoved, or kicked (figuratively) out of their comfort zones, they are able to discover new solutions and healthier goals. The horse activities make use of poles, cones, standards, tarps, or anything that happens to be in the arena at the time of the session and the activities have mesmerizing names such as Life’s Little Obstacles, Temptation Alley, and The Black Box to name a few. The 40 to50 minute sessions are facilitated with observed statements, reflective listening, and questions minus the judgment, criticism, blame, or agendas (the stuff in our backpack). Motivationally led questions invite the participant to find their own answers, self-discoveries, capabilities and strengths.

An example of the power EAP and its immediate feedback comes from a teenage client who struggled with an eating disorder. Part of the activity included adhering about eight sticky notes where she had written her most difficult challenges to a big grey mare in the arena. She put the notes on the mare and while she was deciding where to begin, the mare turned to her belly and ate one of the sticky notes. The girl looked surprised, then reflected that the horse just helped her solve that issue. The horse must have known that it was time to let go of that issue.

Equine assisted psychotherapy has been shown to help people with behavioral issues, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Benefits include improved communication, boundary setting, self control, confidence, problem solving and respect for self and others. It is also valuable in working with family dynamics, adjudicated youth, and at risk youth. For more information check out the following websites: www.eagala.org, www.summitequineassistedtherapy.com, and www.heronhillarabians.com.

References: Equine-assisted growth and learning association, website and training manual

DISCLAIMER: The author wishes to emphasize that cases presented in this article are composites of various case studies, not intended to represent any one person.