Why Horses
Mirror our actions
Their ability to connect with people and mirror our actions and feelings makes them great therapeutic partners.
Open and honest feedback
Horses instinctively read our emotions and intentions and consistently react, giving open and honest feedback.
Reacting to body language
As prey animals, horses are experts at reading and reacting to body language, other nonverbal cues and energy.
Unconditional acceptance
It makes them uniquely gifted at supporting people who have experienced emotional and physical pain.
As a result, they are the best partners for people who have issues with trust and vulnerability.
Horses help individuals work on breaking down emotional walls and learned behaviors
Horses help people heal through unconditional acceptance, love and non-judgmental acknowledgment. It is powerfully enlightening to see a horse mirror your actions and personality traits, allowing meaningful insight, self-awareness and personal growth. For people who are wounded, it can be life-changing. Horses teach mindfulness and the physical interaction releases hormones in the brain, stimulating emotionally therapeutic unconditional acceptance and a somatic release of trauma.
The Magnificent Therapy Horse
Like humans, therapy horses come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. At In Step, our herd consists of nine different horses spanning seven breeds. Each horse has a unique personality and gift to lend to our program. Whether a client has years of experience working with horses or it is their first time stepping foot in a barn, the warm and welcoming nature of our horses allows them to feel comfortable and at home.