Why the horse?

Why the horse?

This is the question that keeps me going. It is something I don't think anyone can answer with exact certainty but we can theorize.



Horses have long beast of burden and companion to humans. Traced back to the works of Xenophon (350 BC), horses were used not only for war, agriculture and transportation but were even used as rehabilitation for soldiers injured in battle. Today we face more challenges with the advent of technology reducing human interaction, exposure to violence at a young age and an increase in children born with disabilities or developing emotional and behavioral challenges throughout their life. With a humans intrinsic attraction to nature (Wilson, 1993) we can create an effective treatment tool for numerous populations through interaction with horses. Through the growing body of research, there is substantial support for why the horse can be so effective in treating more population than any one drug or single intervention.



Physical Benefits

A horse moves creating forward/back, side to side and rotational movement causing a rider to be constantly thrown off balance. This in turn causes the rider's muscles to contract and relax in an attempt to regain balance. The contraction and relaxation reaches deep muscles not accessible in regular physical therapy. The rhythmical movement of the horse is similar to the human motion of walking teaching rhythmical patterns to the muscles of the legs and trunk in the rider. “Since horseback riding is enjoyable the rider has an increased tolerance and motivation to lengthen the period of exercise. The increased use of muscles strengthens them.” (Davis, 199) Muscles of the legs are also stretched when sitting on a horse riding with and without stirrups. This movement stimulates the nerves and muscles in the body improving head and trunk stability and upper extremity function in children with cerebral palsy. This study out of Washington University suggests that not only can the movement improve functioning but that the outcomes are still present several months after they have stopped riding. The motion and heat of the horse, not only aid a rider's blood circulation and reflexes, but also gently exercise the rider's spinal column, joints, and muscles. The horse's three-dimensional movement provides a combination of sensory and neurological input that can be used to address a variety of disabilities. These movements can not be duplicated by traditional exercise or by exercise machines which typically only work on one muscle group at a time and can't produce body movements in a natural, rhythmic, and progressive way.



Cognitive

The diagnosis of developmental disabilities has grown steadily over the years. One in every 150 children is diagnosed with autism. Along with Autism we now find ourselves confronted with an alphabet soup of disorders. According to Dr. Russell Barkley, and expert in ADHD, 1 to 3 children in every classroom there are diagnosed with ADHD and that up to 4% of the total adult population is also ADHD. With such high rates it is imperative to find treatment interventions to improve functioning. Participating in activities with horses can not only improve attention and motivate but their unconditional love creates an atmosphere of acceptance for fragile self esteem. In an article by Doolittle (1997) mental functioning is not transmitted verbatim from teacher to student but it is the result of a social experience. Vygotsky believed that an individuals immediate potential for cognitive growth is limited by what they can accomplish independently, and on the upper end by what they can accomplish with the help of a partner. Paired with the experiential nature of therapeutic riding, horses can help bridge the gaps in learning. Through the simple act of brushing a horse the midline of the body is crossed activating the corpus-callosum in the brain in stimulating the centers for learning. Riding stimulates the tactile senses both through touch and environmental stimuli. The vestibular system is also stimulated by the movement of the horse, changes in direction and speed. The olfactory system responds to the many smells involved in a stable and ranch environment. Vision is used in control of the horse. The many sounds of the ranch help to involve the auditory system. All of these senses work together and are integrated in the act of riding. In addition, proprioceptors are activated, resulting in improved spatial awareness. It is because of this factor that horses can be extremely effective for children with Autism.



Emotional

Dewey hypothesized that putting a person in an unfamiliar environment will result in a psychological shift creating an opening for learning. Interacting with animals in general can create a greater sense of wellbeing decreasing blood pressure and increasing endorphins. The unconditional love and the achievement while riding can increase self esteem. The bond created can improve functioning in people with emotional challenges.

Even in a country where technology provides what we need at the push of a button, there is still a large percentage of people who do not possess the skills to succeed in life. Recent research supports the value of horse interaction as being dramatic in the healing process. Levonson contends that animals can act as transitional objects that act as a defense against anxiety reducing emotional tension. In programs with absentee Dad’s, horses become a bridge upon which they can build a new foundation for bonding. In the age when children spend up to 7 hours a day playing video games and watching TV, their ability to interact socially becomes diminished. Horses can be a way to create attachments in promoting successful relationships.



So why the horse?

Adelde Von McCormick has spent a lifetime as a psychotherapist studying why horses can have such dramatic effects on people. In their book “Horse Sense for the Human Heart” they discuss several case studies related to equine assisted interventions they have witnessed. Their experience shows that the horse creates an upheaval in a person psyche. Whether this is due to the flight of fight response is not clear. Human and horses have shared the most unique relationship in nature. Predators and prey working together. Horses have the capacity to fight off mountain lions and could certainly fight off a human is they chose to. But for some reason they work with us. They allow us to ride them, care for them and sometimes mistreat them. Sometimes they turn and fight but the instances are so few it begs the question why. This relationship is showing to benefit humans in more ways than one can express. Horses are so different than dogs in cats in the way we interact. “Horses quickly anchor us making it difficult to escape from some of the basic realities of our existence. Around them we are confronted with existential truths and with matters of life and death…” Life around horses is real and immediate. They respond to our body language and reveal what we are truly feeling. Their size and power grab a hold of our attention captivating us and make us pay attention for our safety. As we master our fear and skill working with them we gain a greater sense of accomplishment and confidence in our ability to handle situations outside of the barn. They force us to release our old habits and look for new ways of thinking. They prevent us from becoming complacent in our actions as we can get hurt. The minute we think we know everything they like to remind us that we don’t.