Equine-Assisted Services
All in the Family, LLC is pleased to announce a new opportunity. Our farm in San Tan Valley is opening back up to offer Animal-Assisted Learning and Equine-Assisted Therapy. Both programs are entirely ground-based (no riding).
Why Horses?
Horses have a long history of working with humans in a variety of ways: transportation, war, work, sport, and recreation. They say dogs are man’s best friend, but horses are easily a contender for that title as well—too bad they can’t easily fit in our houses! Because of this thousands-of-years of close relationship, horses and humans have a bond that is unlike any other animal—to the extent that there is a physical response to a horse’s presence. For example, a horse’s heartrate can actually calm a human’s heartrate and vice versa (see article: "Mythbuster Monday: A Human's Heart Rate Can Influence a Horse's and Vice Versa").
In nature, horses have a social order within their herd with unique roles, personalities, attitudes, and moods. As prey animals, they are very in tune with their environment and the non-verbal communication around them. You cannot easily manipulate a horse—they know when you are lying. Because of their large size, a horse does not have to listen to people; they choose to listen to us. They choose that bond, and that is a powerful tool in healing and maturation as a person. Someone who feels little control in their life, for example, can experience huge growth when a 1500-pound animal chooses to follow their commands, but there is also growth in the converse. Learning to let go of control is also a tool that people need and when a 1500-pound animal refuses to listen to you until you let go of your anger or frustration, growth occurs there as well. It takes work to develop relationships with horses. In a time where immediate gratification is the norm, working with horses requires people to be engaged in physical, emotional, and mental ways that they can get in very few other ways.
Why Horses?
Horses have a long history of working with humans in a variety of ways: transportation, war, work, sport, and recreation. They say dogs are man’s best friend, but horses are easily a contender for that title as well—too bad they can’t easily fit in our houses! Because of this thousands-of-years of close relationship, horses and humans have a bond that is unlike any other animal—to the extent that there is a physical response to a horse’s presence. For example, a horse’s heartrate can actually calm a human’s heartrate and vice versa (see article: "Mythbuster Monday: A Human's Heart Rate Can Influence a Horse's and Vice Versa").
In nature, horses have a social order within their herd with unique roles, personalities, attitudes, and moods. As prey animals, they are very in tune with their environment and the non-verbal communication around them. You cannot easily manipulate a horse—they know when you are lying. Because of their large size, a horse does not have to listen to people; they choose to listen to us. They choose that bond, and that is a powerful tool in healing and maturation as a person. Someone who feels little control in their life, for example, can experience huge growth when a 1500-pound animal chooses to follow their commands, but there is also growth in the converse. Learning to let go of control is also a tool that people need and when a 1500-pound animal refuses to listen to you until you let go of your anger or frustration, growth occurs there as well. It takes work to develop relationships with horses. In a time where immediate gratification is the norm, working with horses requires people to be engaged in physical, emotional, and mental ways that they can get in very few other ways.
Which Service is Right for Me?
Animal-Assisted Learning
Click HERE to learn more about Animal Assisted Learning |
Equine-Assisted Therapy
Click HERE to learn more about Equine-Assisted Therapy |