When you hear the term 'equine therapy retreats', you might think of a hospital for horses, a place where animals are sent to recover from injuries or illnesses. Well, nothing could be farther from the truth. At an ETR, the horses are just fine. It's the people who need help.
This concept has really taken hold. There are certified retreat centers in many places - 250 or more in North America alone. It is part 'corporate team building', part 'get away from the rat race', part therapeutic riding, and all about learning your strengths, facing your fears, and finding peace. People can do it as individuals or as part of a group.
Therapeutic riding began in the 1960s as a way to help people with disabilities, both adults and children. Riding helps improve core strength, posture, and balance for someone who has limited capabilities. The walk of a horse moves the rider's spine like walking on two legs does - which is an amazing thing for someone confined to a wheelchair. Being on a horse lets a crippled child see the world from a 'normal' perspective. Autistic children open up around a pony.
Even beyond the physical possibilities, therapists were struck by the emotional and mental benefits of the program. As the old adage says, they discovered that 'the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man'. Horses were able to connect to their riders in ways that counselors or even family members were unable to do.
An abused child who is suspicious of every other human finds that he can trust, talk to, and love a horse. A woman who feels powerless in her life learns to influence a huge animal in a positive way. A man who hides his true nature behind a social mask discovers that a horse reacts to his real feelings. People of all ages discover that horses are forgiving.
Retreats are traditionally places where you go to escape stress and pressures of the 'real' world. The centers are located where beautiful scenery and great peace abound. Interacting with nature and with magnificent, huge, gentle horses seems to have a magic of its own. Some places also have other animals - chickens, sheep, dogs, cats - that enchant refugees from the city.
Business executives who are overwhelmed by the challenges they face can gain perspective to make a new push. People can get to know themselves better by working with a horse. Some retreats include meditation in their therapy, while others use the simple skills needed to care for animals in ways that reveal hidden issues that people have. Psychology employs the intuitive understanding that many horses have to help people find emotional balance, release, and refreshment.
'Hippotherapy' is getting rave reviews from those who have tried it and found it life changing. Go online to find centers in Colorado, North Carolina, or England. Read about how people surrender their goals, objectives, and personal agendas to engage in the present with a horse, a prey animal who is willing to trust them implicitly.
This concept has really taken hold. There are certified retreat centers in many places - 250 or more in North America alone. It is part 'corporate team building', part 'get away from the rat race', part therapeutic riding, and all about learning your strengths, facing your fears, and finding peace. People can do it as individuals or as part of a group.
Therapeutic riding began in the 1960s as a way to help people with disabilities, both adults and children. Riding helps improve core strength, posture, and balance for someone who has limited capabilities. The walk of a horse moves the rider's spine like walking on two legs does - which is an amazing thing for someone confined to a wheelchair. Being on a horse lets a crippled child see the world from a 'normal' perspective. Autistic children open up around a pony.
Even beyond the physical possibilities, therapists were struck by the emotional and mental benefits of the program. As the old adage says, they discovered that 'the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man'. Horses were able to connect to their riders in ways that counselors or even family members were unable to do.
An abused child who is suspicious of every other human finds that he can trust, talk to, and love a horse. A woman who feels powerless in her life learns to influence a huge animal in a positive way. A man who hides his true nature behind a social mask discovers that a horse reacts to his real feelings. People of all ages discover that horses are forgiving.
Retreats are traditionally places where you go to escape stress and pressures of the 'real' world. The centers are located where beautiful scenery and great peace abound. Interacting with nature and with magnificent, huge, gentle horses seems to have a magic of its own. Some places also have other animals - chickens, sheep, dogs, cats - that enchant refugees from the city.
Business executives who are overwhelmed by the challenges they face can gain perspective to make a new push. People can get to know themselves better by working with a horse. Some retreats include meditation in their therapy, while others use the simple skills needed to care for animals in ways that reveal hidden issues that people have. Psychology employs the intuitive understanding that many horses have to help people find emotional balance, release, and refreshment.
'Hippotherapy' is getting rave reviews from those who have tried it and found it life changing. Go online to find centers in Colorado, North Carolina, or England. Read about how people surrender their goals, objectives, and personal agendas to engage in the present with a horse, a prey animal who is willing to trust them implicitly.
About the Author:
You can find details about the benefits of receiving equine therapy and more info about equine therapy retreats at http://www.horsesenseandthehumanheart.com right now.
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