Equine Integrated Behavioral Therapy

The skills that many troubled young people lack are the very ones that are required to work with horses. Non-verbal communication, honesty, respect, and assertiveness are requisites of this therapy. This is not a program about riding or horsemanship, but rather a serious therapeutic discipline.

In equine assisted therapy, the horse provides a powerful psychological catalyst for change. A collaborative effort of the client, therapist, and a horse professional form the basis for this therapy. Many of the clients’ problems, and the solutions therein, are played out through this method of transference and interaction with the horses.

Horses are driven by four distinctive characteristics: herding instinct, pecking order, fear and reproduction. Clients learn how to identify these horse behaviors that reveal motivational instincts, then they learn to work in harmony with them to motivate the horses to respond. These behaviors are processed to reveal similar traits in their own lives. Horses have a unique ability to help changes occur more quickly than they would with traditional talk therapy alone. Learning occurs in each setting, but it occurs quicker and better when the program incorporates both together. Equine assisted therapy is similar to the difference between classroom and on-the-job training.

We have selected two categories of program horses: mature, well-trained animals for the therapeutic group activities and younger colts for training the client to become their own horse "whisperer". Our young horses are registered with the American Paint Horse Association, and are from champion stock. Our staff is EAGALA trained and utilizes their model of equine assisted therapy (EAP) during the intensive phase of the program.
Much of the therapy in the early days takes place on the ground, requiring the clients to experiment and use a variety of skills to achieve the desired reactions from the horses. After each session, the client, therapist, and horse professional process, at length, the results of the interaction.

As treatment continues, the clients learn to recognize and control their faulty thinking patterns, actions and reactions. They learn to solve problems, to improve communication, and finally to pin-point and to change unhealthy living skills. Clients develop a sense of responsibility and a sense of empowerment helping them to control their lives. This gradually results in elevated self-esteem, leadership, work ethic, and positive self image.

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