Magazine

Volume 5

*Facilitated Programs: We Need to Expect More for Our Horses in Our Facilitated Programs

 

Time, I thought to check out what others mean by an equine facilitated program.

And they show a picture of a sweet mare with a gorgeous soft eye, and all you can think is that she would be perfect for this.

But then you look closer, and you begin to wonder. 

And then you see another photo, one with her head and neck raised.  And shoot your suspicions are validated.  

Incorrect muscling showing a lower neck that is well developed and an upper neck that is the opposite.  Exactly what we don't want to see in our horses.

My early experience was working in a therapeutic riding program working to bring health to those with physical, mental, and emotional issues. 

Like most programs we relied on donated horses which sadly were usually donated because they have some kind of physical issue, as this is always considered a nice way to retire a horse and at the same time help others.

But there is a problem here.

A problem if you are hoping to bring physical health to human bodies. Bodies that never had or didn't remember the patterns needed in muscles on how to sit up or remember what it was like to walk. Here we are relying on what the horses can give them.  Patterns transferred physically from the horse to the rider.

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