Therapeutic Riding

The mental benefits are also numerous, in the first place a trip to an equestrian center is a nice leisure activity and a way to focus on pleasure rather than on the disability. In addition, horse riding can give a self-reliant self-confidence a huge boost. Also the contact with the animal, the unconditional love and trust they get from the horse is very good. If people also learn to care for the animal, if the physical condition allows it, to comb and feed, they get a bit of responsibility for another living creature. In the beginning, often one-on-one guidance is chosen, but over time (if both the horse and the person in need of help feel more comfortable with the situation) more freedom can be given.

Why Horses

Horses are social and sensitive animals. Horses are prey animals that live in herds. In order to survive, their social skills are highly developed and they are very sensitive to what is happening in their environment. They need a clear leader and are always aware of who the leader is. This allows people to practice leadership and they receive genuine feedback from the horse. The special thing is that horses, like no other, have the ability to accurately mirror behavior. Horses communicate through body language that we can “read” and translate. People also use body language, consciously or not, and horses will respond to this body language, just as they will with other horses and animals. In this way they hold up a mirror to us about what we radiate. The horses show, in their unmistakable direct feedback, that they trust and want to follow us, the basis of relationships and communication. A horse does not interpret or judge but reacts to what is happening in the here and now. Horses accept people as they are. So one can learn a lot from this clear feedback from the horse. There are innumerable parallels with communication and relationships with people. Like humans, horses are herd animals and they also need a leader (hierarchy).

The hormone oxytocin also plays a role. Oxytocin is an important hormone, it is also called the “hug hormone”. The high levels of oxytocin makes people calmer and more social. The heart rate also drops and the values ​​of stress hormones, such as cortisol, fall. This makes people less distrustful and more reliable. The interaction between humans and animals also leads to an increase in oxytocin levels.

Children, adolescents and adults with:     

• a slight intellectual disability     
• a slight physical disability     
• an autism spectrum disorder    
• AD (H) D     
• epilepsy     
• fear of failure    
• low self esteem
• bullied experiences   
• motor problems     
• depression and / or anxiety complaints    
• fear of horses or other animals
• difficulty setting / recognizing limits
  

 The target:  

•  Fun, relaxation     
• Self-confidence / you are good the way you are    
• Taking responsibility / independence     
• Concentration / focusing / learning to deal with environmental stimuli     
• Balance / Balance     
• Social skills    
• Collaborate     
• Let (anxiety) anxiety / tension decrease    
•  Increase problem-solving capacity     
• Learning to recognize and recognize one’s own boundaries and those of others    
• Improved mood