(520)744.9037/Dr. Moses 10845 N. Thornydale Rd, Tucson, AZ 85742 (520) 579-8786/Ranch
Dr. Moses is a national authority and pioneer in the field of therapeutic human/animal interaction, and has been working in this field for over 30 years. Founder of TAAPA http://taapa.freewebsites.com/Founder.html
RATIONALE
A. BENEFITS OF EQUESTRIAN THERAPY
1) Equestrian Therapy is an experiential modality requiring simultaneous integration of body, mind, and spirit. The client must coordinate his/her own body, and direct the horse at the same time he/she is experiencing stimuli to all five senses.
2) Riding affects posture, balance, mobility, and function. Changing these factors also changes attitude. (Rowley, 1988)
3) The motion of the horse at a walk promotes relaxation of the entire central nervous system, both voluntary and autonomic. (Maar, n.d.) As far back as 1670, the Englishman, Lord Sydenham, wrote, "There is no better treatment for the body and the soul than many hours each week in the saddle, riding the horse." (McCowan, n.d.)
4) Equestrian physcotherapy requires the rider to be out of doors and in contact with nature. Here in Arizona we are surrounded by breathtaking beauty at nearly every turn of the trail. The repetitive movement of the horse at a walk can lull the person into a deeply relaxed state.
5) On the other hand, a brisk trot can energize someone with dulled affect.
6) Merely sitting on a horse gives the client a different visual perspective from the ordinary. This can be employed in helping a person to alter his/her perspective on problems.
7) A rider can gain increased self-awareness by having to balance and coordinate the body in a new way. Also, he/she will reflect on the emotions felt in trying something new or in re visiting a familiar skill.
8) Clients, especially passive women, gain self-confidence and assertiveness in getting such a large animal to do their bidding.
9) Abusive and domineering people learn gentleness in dealing with a horse. The horse is too large to be forced, and does not respond to bullying.
10) For women with unresolved sexual issues, the horse symbolically represents male energy. How they deal with the horse will reflect their usual way of approaching men.
11) Equestrian physcotherapy gives the person a chance to get away from the clinical setting for a time. "The only difference (from ordinary therapies) is that they are applied outside the clinical setting, taking advantage of the horse's movement and naturally occurring events." ("Horseback..." 1989)
12) Riding conveys a metaphor of the individual's approach to life. Recognizing and describing what is observed can crystallize unsatisfactory coping mechanisms and give the rider an opportunity to practice new behaviors.
13) Riding can be a deeply meditative experience, particularly for those who have ridden previously. Once the purpose of the session has been discussed, very little talking need occur until debriefing. Even when a group of people share this activity, each participant spends much of the time on horseback, alone, more in communication with the horse than with the others. Group sharing after this reflective individual involvement, like nominal group process, has a more powerful impact than a purely verbal modality.
B. Benefits for Professionals
1) Busy people have a chance to get away from the telephone, the appointment book, and constant pressure and spend time in self-renewal with their peers for a few hours a month.
2) They can immerse themselves in the beauty of majestic saguaros, magnificent ironwoods, and breathtaking mountain vistas. 3) The horses share with these people their quiet energy, curiosity, and willingness to nurture their riders.
C. Special Benefits of Small Animal Assisted Psychotherapy
1) Clients unable to trust another human being, no matter how skillful or competent the therapist may be, often respond to the unconditional love of an animal.
2) People who are uncomfortable with touching or being touched can allow themselves the experience of touching an animal.
3) People who cannot find words to express their pain can respond to the non-verbal communication of an animal and bridge the process of communicating with the therapist.
4)Survivors of physical and sexual abuse recoil from even loving human touch, but a soft, cuddly animal offers non-threatening comfort.
5) Soft cuddly animals make no demands, pass no judgments, offer no advice. They simply say, "I'm here! Touch me! Love me!" In addition, animals can often lighten the tension of an emotionally charged atmosphere.
