To Harness the Gentle Power of the Horse
Equine-assisted therapy has seen a rise in popularity within the U.S. during the past 40 years. This seemingly unconventional method of healing is gaining credibility within the health and medical communities as a viable alternative, when conventional methods alone seem to fall short.
The vision to change lives through equine therapy has become a reality at one special place in the heart of North Carolina. Because...sometimes life's answers are complex, and sometimes just as simple as learning to see the world through a horse's eyes.
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| (Photo/Pam Sullivan) |
By Pam Sullivan
At the foot of North Carolina's Blue Ridge Mountains - far from the downtown rush, nestled firmly amid rolling hills, green pastures, and majestic trees - lies a safe haven.
A hush. A serenity. A place to belong and become...one that inspires hopes, dreams, and second chances.
And all because of working, caring hands that have opened doorways to understanding some gentle giants.
The unique environment of Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Tobaccoville, N.C., helps people of all ages find physical, emotional, social, and cognitive healing through the use of equine therapy.
Seeing
Founded in 1997 by present Executive Director Susan Hubbard, Riverwood is one of only 20 similar locations in North Carolina, according to the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA).
Program Director and instructor Laura Pallavicini has been at the center for 14 years. She conveys a passion for what she does and the philosophy behind using horses in varying types of therapy.
"I've had horses my whole life. I started riding when I was 3 [years old], and got my first horse when I was 5 [years old]," she says. "I started volunteering at Riverwood after graduating college, and I just fell in love with it - the whole idea of utilizing the spirit of the horse in a different way."
The concept behind using horses in therapy stems from the intrinsic nature of the horse. Because horses are large and powerful, they can be intimidating to some, yet horses are social animals with specific roles within their herds.
They may seem stubborn and defiant at times, yet they also like to have fun, and have distinct personalities, attitudes, and moods. A key aspect of using horses in therapy is that of their tendency to mirror human body language.
Even though there are no personality preferences in the horses used for therapy at Riverwood, the staff may choose certain horses based on particular needs or situations. And surprisingly, although each horse has its own personality, it can respond differently to different people.
While the center offers various recreational activities and programs to the public, its utilization of Therapeutic Riding, Equine Assisted Learning, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy within its programming helps to set it apart from basic horse-riding centers.
Touching
Therapeutic Riding programs are mainly group-focused, yet sometimes individual, based on the levels of need.
At Riverwood, program participants range from ages 3 to adulthood, and are most often seeking help for problems within physical, mental, social, or emotional areas.
The methods used in Therapeutic Riding are very goal-oriented, and focused on using the motion of the horse while riding to develop a relationship that leads to reaching specific goals.
One aspect in helping participants develop the relationship with the horse is that of the instructors.
Aliza McIlwain, a 22-year-old instructor, says when she graduated college she knew she wanted to work with animals, yet was unsure of her exact direction.
"Then I came to Riverwood one day, watched, and knew working with horses was what I wanted to do," McIlwain adds.
Through the help of those like McIlwain, when those goals manifest themselves in sudden breakthroughs, it makes the waiting worthwhile.
Pallavicini says, "It's just amazing to see somebody gain a skill and go do it on the back of a horse - to hear a child with autism say a first word, or see someone out of a wheelchair, or away from a walker, or confident - it's just an amazing thing to witness. It's really profound to me."
Knowing
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) use more intense methods of helping individuals or groups.
Since weekly sessions require the presence of both a certified Mental Health Professional and certified Equine Specialist, Doreen Hughes, M.D., works with Pallavicini in the EAL and EAP sessions.
Board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hughes began her private practice in 1994, then became interested in equine therapy while attending a mental health professionals' weekend in Arizona.
"It amazed me how working with horses tapped into deep emotions and also led to identifying new approaches," Hughes says.
She began a process of learning and training to become certified by EAGALA in 2007, which led to a partnership between the newly-named Hughes Equine Energy and Riverwood in 2010.
EAL and EAP differ in that the first is an experiential learning practice with a focus on learning or educational goals, while the second is focused on identifying an individual's psychological dilemmas and working through them.
Feeling
Those who participate in the EAL program are most often businesses or groups looking to work on team- and relationship-building. Solutions are found by learning specific skills and gaining guidance through interactions with the horses.
Veterans are one group sector Riverwood hopes to reach with its EAL program.
Hughes says, "Currently we are preparing to begin a program for veterans in 2014. We have done a few demonstrations for various veterans groups and have gotten great feedback."
One group that both Pallavicini and Hughes hope will be able to participate in EAL is Veterans Helping Veterans Heal.
"The goal right now is to get the program going where they can come and do EAL sessions once a month," Pallavicini says. "It's a great community endeavor."
EAP, like EAL, is still client-and solution-centered, but revolves more around clarifying an individual's needs in dealing with problems - such as relationships, addictions, eating disorders, and depression - through what's called metaphorical learning.
The concept of metaphorical learning is both simple and dynamic. Because horses are extremely sensitive to nonverbal stimuli, they can sense a person's emotions, while very little talking is involved in sessions.
Pallavicini notes, "The movement of the horse just stimulates so many different areas of the brain."
In watching how a client responds to interaction with a horse, those looking from the outside are able to assess issues that need to be addressed with that individual.
Although equine programs are highly successful, they may not be for everyone.
Dr. Hughes says, "I do not think any therapy is going to be helpful for everyone. Part of this work is determining who will respond well to an active, hands-on process that involves interacting with a large, living being."
Regardless of the few who may not benefit from equine therapy, the many who do can find new chances at life...as the more people learn to see, hear, think, and feel - in a different light - the more they can understand the true nature of who they are meant to be.
As Winston Churchill said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."
But the horses could have told us that. They seem to already know.
A hush. A serenity. A place to belong and become...one that inspires hopes, dreams, and second chances.
And all because of working, caring hands that have opened doorways to understanding some gentle giants.
The unique environment of Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Tobaccoville, N.C., helps people of all ages find physical, emotional, social, and cognitive healing through the use of equine therapy.
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Founded in 1997 by present Executive Director Susan Hubbard, Riverwood is one of only 20 similar locations in North Carolina, according to the Equine Assisted Growth and Learning Association (EAGALA).
Program Director and instructor Laura Pallavicini has been at the center for 14 years. She conveys a passion for what she does and the philosophy behind using horses in varying types of therapy.
"I've had horses my whole life. I started riding when I was 3 [years old], and got my first horse when I was 5 [years old]," she says. "I started volunteering at Riverwood after graduating college, and I just fell in love with it - the whole idea of utilizing the spirit of the horse in a different way."
The concept behind using horses in therapy stems from the intrinsic nature of the horse. Because horses are large and powerful, they can be intimidating to some, yet horses are social animals with specific roles within their herds.
They may seem stubborn and defiant at times, yet they also like to have fun, and have distinct personalities, attitudes, and moods. A key aspect of using horses in therapy is that of their tendency to mirror human body language.
Even though there are no personality preferences in the horses used for therapy at Riverwood, the staff may choose certain horses based on particular needs or situations. And surprisingly, although each horse has its own personality, it can respond differently to different people.
While the center offers various recreational activities and programs to the public, its utilization of Therapeutic Riding, Equine Assisted Learning, and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy within its programming helps to set it apart from basic horse-riding centers.
Therapeutic Riding programs are mainly group-focused, yet sometimes individual, based on the levels of need.
At Riverwood, program participants range from ages 3 to adulthood, and are most often seeking help for problems within physical, mental, social, or emotional areas.
The methods used in Therapeutic Riding are very goal-oriented, and focused on using the motion of the horse while riding to develop a relationship that leads to reaching specific goals.
One aspect in helping participants develop the relationship with the horse is that of the instructors.
Aliza McIlwain, a 22-year-old instructor, says when she graduated college she knew she wanted to work with animals, yet was unsure of her exact direction.
"Then I came to Riverwood one day, watched, and knew working with horses was what I wanted to do," McIlwain adds.
Through the help of those like McIlwain, when those goals manifest themselves in sudden breakthroughs, it makes the waiting worthwhile.
Pallavicini says, "It's just amazing to see somebody gain a skill and go do it on the back of a horse - to hear a child with autism say a first word, or see someone out of a wheelchair, or away from a walker, or confident - it's just an amazing thing to witness. It's really profound to me."
Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) and Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) use more intense methods of helping individuals or groups.
Since weekly sessions require the presence of both a certified Mental Health Professional and certified Equine Specialist, Doreen Hughes, M.D., works with Pallavicini in the EAL and EAP sessions.
Board-certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Hughes began her private practice in 1994, then became interested in equine therapy while attending a mental health professionals' weekend in Arizona.
"It amazed me how working with horses tapped into deep emotions and also led to identifying new approaches," Hughes says.
She began a process of learning and training to become certified by EAGALA in 2007, which led to a partnership between the newly-named Hughes Equine Energy and Riverwood in 2010.
EAL and EAP differ in that the first is an experiential learning practice with a focus on learning or educational goals, while the second is focused on identifying an individual's psychological dilemmas and working through them.
Feeling
Those who participate in the EAL program are most often businesses or groups looking to work on team- and relationship-building. Solutions are found by learning specific skills and gaining guidance through interactions with the horses.
 |
| Veterans at Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center (Photo/Dr. Doreen Hughes) |
Hughes says, "Currently we are preparing to begin a program for veterans in 2014. We have done a few demonstrations for various veterans groups and have gotten great feedback."
One group that both Pallavicini and Hughes hope will be able to participate in EAL is Veterans Helping Veterans Heal.
"The goal right now is to get the program going where they can come and do EAL sessions once a month," Pallavicini says. "It's a great community endeavor."
EAP, like EAL, is still client-and solution-centered, but revolves more around clarifying an individual's needs in dealing with problems - such as relationships, addictions, eating disorders, and depression - through what's called metaphorical learning.
The concept of metaphorical learning is both simple and dynamic. Because horses are extremely sensitive to nonverbal stimuli, they can sense a person's emotions, while very little talking is involved in sessions.
Pallavicini notes, "The movement of the horse just stimulates so many different areas of the brain."
In watching how a client responds to interaction with a horse, those looking from the outside are able to assess issues that need to be addressed with that individual.
Although equine programs are highly successful, they may not be for everyone.
Dr. Hughes says, "I do not think any therapy is going to be helpful for everyone. Part of this work is determining who will respond well to an active, hands-on process that involves interacting with a large, living being."
Regardless of the few who may not benefit from equine therapy, the many who do can find new chances at life...as the more people learn to see, hear, think, and feel - in a different light - the more they can understand the true nature of who they are meant to be.
As Winston Churchill said, "There's something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."
But the horses could have told us that. They seem to already know.
AUDIO SLIDESHOW
"Equine Assisted Therapy: The Gentle Power of Horses"
- Doreen L. Hughes, M.D. - Hughes Equine Energy
- Laura Pallavicini - Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center
- Aliza McIlwain - Riverwood Therapeutic Riding Center