In the sport of horse racing, the power of a horse is often associated with speed, strength and agility. But sometimes, horses can show us a much greater power.
An article in the Toronto Star shares the work of Wounded Warriors Canada, which has been using equine therapy as an important component of its Couples Resiliency Program for nearly a decade to assist military veterans and first responders diagnosed with operational stress injury, and their partners.
Psychologist Jim Marland says the four-day program includes clinical work and group therapy, but 60 per cent of the time is spent working with horses at ranches in Alberta, Nova Scotia and Ontario.
The innate qualities of horses, including their sensitivity and hyper-vigilance, help couples improve empathy, communication and trust within their relationships. The hands-on component with the horses helps to teach partners to be mindful of keeping a calm demeanor with respectful intentions.
The article explains that the program has helped couples like Chris and Dorann Hargreaves.
“Every day, we would take a horse from the stable and groom it together," said Dorann, a retired 911 operator whose husband is a 20-year police officer diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. "They would give you a topic to talk about. They were always difficult topics that might normally be trigger points. But grooming the horse was such a calming thing. Just being among these beautiful, graceful animals brought your anxiety level down.”
“The animal takes your mind away, out of the cycles of fight or flight, and brings you back to using the logical side of your head," said Chris.
To read the Toronto Star article in its entirety, click here.
(With files from Toronto Star)