Horses have been domesticated for many years, and from the very beginning, it was us teaching them. We attached our ropes, harnesses, saddles, and ideas unto them. We taught them what to be, think, and do.
And amazingly, they went along. Horses obliged us. When we asked them to carry us just where we wanted to go — and sometimes in the most dangerous circumstances — they did. After all, horses were the very first war vehicle.
And when we asked them to carry us in the way we wanted to go, again, they did. We hitched their heads up high, and weighted their feet, so that the picture would be pleasurable to us. And still, they did.
Regardless of how absurd and even threatening our ideas may have seemed to a horse, still they obliged our desires, putting their emotions, and even very primal need for protection aside. Simply because we asked.
Megan Martin was a member of Team Orian, the winners of the Second Preliminary "Buck Off" held at the White Horse Tavern January 26, 2012. Photo Courtesy of Kerri Salter
Loxahatchee, FL – January 31, 2012 – The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (VTRC) held its second preliminary “Buck Off” last Thursday at the White Horse Tavern’s Patio. The fundraiser benefits the VTRC, an organization that witnesses countless miracles on a daily basis and truly lives up to its meaning, “to overcome.”
The “Buck Off” consists of three preliminary rounds in which teams of four compete on a mechanical bull to earn the highest score. The winning team will move on to the final event held on February 10, 2012. The buzz about the event has been nothing but positive. “The conversations about the ‘Buck Off’ have been simply amazing,” said Bobbi Rottman, with Equine Solutions. “The energy here is about double what it was last year, and that’s impressive considering that the winners from last year said it was the talk of the town all year.”
As Rottman’s “brain-child,” its success means the world to her. She had wanted to help the VTRC reach out to the younger generations and hold an event where everyone could come together and have a great time. The first time the event was held was at the annual dinner and auction three years ago. The response was so immense that the committee had to turn people away. Soon after, it was decided to make the “Buck Off” its own fundraising event for the VTRC leading up to the annual benefit. They have received overwhelming support from sponsors throughout the years, and this year Floridian Community Bank, Palm Beach Equine Clinic and White Horse Tavern Catering are to thank.
As the president/founder/executive director of Horses4Heroes, Inc., I am pleased and proud to introduce our horseback riding organization to all troops, combat veterans, and military families!
As you may or may not have heard, NARHA/PATH, the creator of the Horses for Heroes program, therapeutic riding for Wounded Warriors, has abandoned the use of the name Horses for Heroes and will be re-branding this therapeutic riding program. The other Horses4Heroes, our organization is able-bodied, affordable horseback riding for returning combat veterans and the entire family, which also needs healing and therapeutic interactions with horses! In addition, we serve all active duty military personnel, First Responders, critical care and hospice nurses and others who have physically dangerous and emotionally demanding jobs.
Today it is not surprising that online education is becoming more frequently the common medium of information dissemination. For just about every topic, it seems as though there is a webinar or teleseminar that one can register for easily, and attend from the comfort of one’s couch. However, it is a bit surprising that something as experiential as equine therapy can be taught via the internet, yet it is most certainly true.
So just what is taught through these webinars? Everything from discussions about the ethical treatment of horses in equine assisted therapy to the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association’s (NARHA) approach to treating autism, and grant application process for attempting to secure funding for equine therapy research.
Dust settled as the leather fringe of well-worn chaps flung in the wind and the young cowboy pulled his horse to a quick stop. Then, clutching his reins in frustration, he looked up at the sky and shook his head. His horse had taken the wrong lead… again. (The horse’s lead describes the leg he leads off of when cantering. For example to canter to the right, the horse must be on the right lead, and the left lead to go left. When on the incorrect lead, the horse has trouble cantering in a balanced way.) “Well hold up just a second,” a steady voice broke the silence, and the young cowboy turned toward a lean man resting easily on his horse, who stood resting a hind leg and dozing off. “Do you know how to prepare him to take the right lead?”
The younger rider shook his head, and looked quizzically at the older horseman. “No.”
“See the preparation is the most important part,” the older cowboy’s soft blue eyes looked intently at the young man, who had turned his horse to face him.
Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung stressed the importance of becoming aware of the shadow self. According to Jung, the shadow is the unconscious complex characterized by the repressed, denied, or disowned parts of the self. It is, essentially those things that a person does not accept about himself or herself. Further, as this uncomfortable part of the self is often denied, it is also often projected onto others, which according to Jung is why a person should bring the shadow self into the conscious awareness. That is, to avoid projecting it onto others. However, this is clearly more easily said than done, as for some people, the existence of a shadow self alone is itself a scary concept. One can only imagine then the difficulty most therapists face in attempting to help a person accept the unwanted parts of themselves. So just imagine then how this might go in the arena with a 1200 pound animal.
For horses, there is no such thing as a shadow self. There is only the self — as is. There is no such thing as disguised material. Horses simply don’t have the time for this. As the eloquent stress researcher Robert Sapolsky says, “When your insides are hanging out, and the enemy is upon you, it is just not the time to worry about what your friends think of you.” This may seem a bit elementary or even primitive to some, but for a horse, it is daily reality. Survival, even for the domesticated horse, is still a foremost concern. That being said, herd communication among a group of equines must reflect this prominent need to survive. And guess what? Evasive communication just doesn’t cut it. So for a horse, neither does ours.
For most people, equine therapy is pretty fascinating to watch. However, without a visual account of just what happens between a horse and a human, the general public is at a loss to fully understand just how our beloved equine friends can really help people better understand themselves. Sometimes words just don’t describe the magic between people and horses. Yet clearly, judging by the success of movies such as “Seabiscuit”, people are truly amazed by horses, and all the while, profoundly affected by this admiration. So, in honoring the way in which an observable accounting of equine therapy can reveal more fully what it is, I have compiled a list of great equine-therapy related movies.
1. “Seabiscuit” Portraying the life of the famous racehorse, Seabiscuit, this movie also demonstrates the way in which the courageous character of a horse can uplift a down and out nation. http://www.seabiscuitmovie.com/
We had our horses and Reading Is Magic program at the Keystone Heights library in Florida this year. So many people came that I don’t think they could have put another person inside. Everyone was so nice (especially Ms. Whipple the librarian) and they actually moved most of the furniture out on the lawn to fit everyone inside for the program.
Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses visited over 18,000 adults and children in hospitals care, hospice programs, assisted living programs and libraries in 2011.
Home of Magic the Therapy Horse
Selected by TIME magazine/CNN one of History’s 10 Most Heroic Animals
Named Most Heroic Pet In America by AARP
A Reader’s Digest/Americantowns Power of One Hero
Named one of the 10 Most Heroic Animals of 2010 by Newsweek/The Daily Beast
We all make resolutions, and sadly, many of us will never realize these often lofty goals. And what do we do then? We wonder why. First, why did we make the resolution in the first place, and if we are the introspective type, what is it about us that prevented us from reaching our target? But to answer these questions, we’d probably have to have a window into our unconscious. And really, we may just not have the time or patience for psychoanalysis. But maybe, just maybe, we can learn something about ourselves through time spent with a horse. So, in honor of resolutions, here are five reasons to try equine assisted therapy.
1. Horses are novel. For the majority of people, meeting a horse is an entirely new experience. While we may have some idea how self-exploration will go, we really have no idea how we will react, or more importantly, how the horse will react to us. This is the perfect environment then in which to learn about the self.
Students were awarded ribbons for their efforts during the PBSFA Horse Show hosted by the Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center. (From left to right) Ms. Nora, Ray S., Garron M. and Stephen A. Photo by Kendall Bierer/PMG
Loxahatchee, FL – December 27, 2011 – The Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center (VTRC) held its first Palm Beach School for Autism Horse Show on Tuesday, December 20, 2011. The students have been participating in a recently developed program by the VTRC and the Palm Beach School for Autism (PBSFA) over the last eight weeks, using the therapeutic effectiveness of the horses to assist the children with their sensory abilities.
The PBSFA Horse Show marked the first event to take place in the VTRC’s Covered Arena. Executive Director of the VTRC Ruth Menor acted as the judge and announcer for the event. Each student, with the help of a volunteer, showed what he or she had learned over the past two months, completing pole bending exercises, holding two-point over cavelettis, and posting during the trot.
“The parents are thrilled with this program,” PBSFA teacher Mary Muth said. “A lot of our parents have students who have sensory issues and are not very comfortable with animals. Our students have really opened up with the horses over the past eight weeks; they look very natural on the horses and they are totally comfortable. The horses are great at sensing the students, and knowing how to make them feel more at ease. I feel confident in saying that the staff and horses at Vinceremos are very skilled at working with children with Autism; it takes special skills to make it a success for everyone.”
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As the president/founder/executive director of Horses4Heroes, Inc., I am pleased and proud to introduce our horseback riding organization to all troops, combat veterans, and military families!
